Waiting on the Future
by Arthur97
Summary: When Lucina went back, she went back a little too far, and now she has found herself in the company of a somewhat familiar face. Now her quest to change the future may change more than she had intended. (Cover image is my attempt at combining two screenshots from Heroes. Rights belong to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems).
1. An Early Arrival

Lucina stirred ever so slightly. Time travel was quite disorienting it would appear; though she was not sure what she expected. Above all she was simply tired. No, she was exhausted, and that was only partially due to her "trip."

Years on the run would do that to a person, and her tired body wanted nothing more than to just lie there and enjoy some well-deserved sleep. However, she had a job to do, and she was nothing if not dedicated. So, despite her body's protests, she began to open her eyes only to be briefly stunned by the bright light. Her eyes were not accustomed to such brightness so she tried again a bit more slowly.

As her eyes adjusted, she became acutely aware of someone walking towards her. She reached for the hilt of Falchion as the person called out to her, "Are you alright?" Her eyes adjusted further showing that the person was a boy. From the looks of him, he was close to her age; probably within a year or so.

He was standing at a conservative distance clearly uncertain of the new stranger. His hair was really what caught her attention though. It was an oddly pale color, almost white even, though she could not tell for certain with the glare in her eyes. It certainly looked…familiar.

She tried to stand, which caused him to back up a little, but she struggled to steady herself as she had not yet recovered.

"You should rest," the adolescence chided.

"No, I must go," she took a few uneasy steps, "I have a mission to complete." No sooner than the words had left her mouth though did her legs give way and she stumbled to the ground.

The boy came by to check on her seemingly deciding that this stranger was in no condition to pose a threat, "Well, you're not getting much done until you rest up," he helped her up, "Come, my village is right over there," he pointed to a small village not too far from where they stood.

"No," she pulled free of his support, "I'll…be fine…in a moment. I just need to…gather my bearings."

He did not look convinced, "No, you'll probably collapse on the side of the road if you keep up like that. Just come with me to town. You can stay outside while I get someone to look you over if you're that concerned."

She looked at the town, and then back to the youth. Her knowledge of this new world she found herself in was limited, but she still knew not to trust strangers. Even in her own ruined time, there were those who would lie and manipulate for their own gain. She seemed to have little choice though. She figured that she could fight him off even in her weakened state, and she could make out figures walking about in the town that certainly did not look like fiends. So she reluctantly, and cautiously, agreed to let him escort her to the village.

She could feel herself gaining her orientation again as they made the trek to the village. She was still exhausted, but she could at least keep her bearings which meant that she was able to get a good look at the village. What she saw was a far cry from what she had become accustomed to seeing on a daily basis.

It all looked so lively compared to her future. These people were not caught up into the hopelessness and despair that had a stranglehold on her time. It was definitely refreshing, and it served to strengthen her resolve to protect this existence.

Then she shifted her attention to her human support. He was a few inches taller than her, and his hair was definitely peculiar for someone so young. Granted, her hair was strange as well.

She still could not shake the feeling that he was familiar though. Of course, that hair certainly reminded her of _him_ , but surely that was not enough to make a determination. However, he did seem bear some resemblance to how she imagined a younger version of him might look.

"Stay here," he finally spoke up, "I'll be right back."

With that he entered one of the buildings. Lucina looked around. She had garnered a few strange looks, but no one seemed terribly alarmed by her presence. She seriously contemplated leaving-especially if that boy was who she thought he might be-but she did not know where she was or even when she was. Though there had to be somewhere else to get that information. However, she also did not know much of this world, and to go into it blindly may cause problems; problems which might be avoided if she took advantage of a chance to learn. If she remained careful, she may be able to glean the necessary information without causing any problems. She could just be remembered as a stranger who simply vanished, never to be seen again.

So with that plan in mind, she braced herself for the adolescence's return. However, as he said, he did not return alone. With him was an older woman with the same white hair as he possessed.

She looked at Lucina and introduced herself as the teenager's mother, "My son tells me that you were out in the field and could barely stand on your own feet."

"Yes, Ma'am," Lucina responded politely.

"Do you mind if I ask why you were out there for no apparent reason?"

"It is…complicated."

She looked Lucina in the eye skeptically before sighing, "Very well, that is your business I suppose. You should come inside; you could probably use a good meal, but the sword stays by the door, understood?"

That seemed fair, all things considered, and she did not know how long it had been since she had a proper meal, so she nodded her acceptance of the terms and prepared to follow the two indoors, "Robin, go fetch us some water," the boy nodded and ran off to the well, but Lucina paid that little mind as she simply stood there as her theory had been confirmed. It all fit from what little she knew of his life before the Shepherds, and to have the same name as well was astronomically unlikely to be a coincidence.

"Are you coming?" his mother asked once she realized that the girl was not following her.

That brought her out of her thoughts and the two went into the house where Lucina took Falchion and it's scabbard off and placed it by the door, but made sure that it was still in plain view.

"Have a seat," her host invited, "Lunch should be ready within a few minutes," she commented as she stoked a fire in the stove.

Lucina took a seat while she attempted to figure out the best way to gather information without raising too many questions; especially considering whose house she was in. She decided to start with the basics: where she was.

"Arton," she replied plainly, "I hear it was named after a commander in the Schism. We are a few days southwest of the capital."

She had never heard of it, but that was not surprising; Robin mentioned very little of his past life. In any case, she now had an idea of where she was, now she had to find out when. Blatantly asking the year might cause more questions than she cared for so she needed a subtler way of asking. She knew how old her father was when he met Robin, and she knew how much older he was than Robin, so if she knew how old Robin was currently…

"How old is your son?"

She cocked her eyebrow at the princess' question, but decided to answer it anyway, "Fifteen. Why the interest in my son?" Any possible implication in that question was overlooked as Lucina quickly figured up the time. Her father was twenty when they met, and he is two years older than Robin which meant that…three years; she was three years too early.

"Are you alright?" Lucina was broken out of her thoughts yet again.

"My apologies, I was just thinking."

"I see…" she went back to tending to the oven despite her suspicions.

* * *

Lucina did not speak again until Robin had rejoined them and his mother presented them with some sandwiches-with some home baked bread. Actually, it was Robin who spoke first.

"So, where are you going?"

"I…am not so certain anymore."

He swallowed, "Why not?"

"It appears that my timing was off. I am much too early, and I do not know what to do in the meantime."

"Why not stay in town?"

"I do not wish to interfere," she neglected to mention exactly how she did not want to interfere of course.

"It's no bother–"

"Robin," his mother scolded, "If she does not want to stay, then she does not want to stay," she turned back to Lucina, "Surely you have somewhere that you can stay until it is time for your 'mission.'"

"Well," Lucina eyed her plate, "I am new to this area. If you could direct me to where I could find work, then I would greatly appreciate it." First things first, she needed to find shelter, food, and an income.

Robin's mother eyed her suspiciously, "Robin, could you excuse us for a moment?"

Robin was about to protest when he saw that his mother was deathly serious so he politely excused himself leaving the two women alone. "He is a curious child," his mother commented as she looked up the stairs that he had just climbed, "But he has much yet to learn about the world."

"You say that you have no place to go," she directed her gaze back to Lucina, "And yet you bear the brand of the Exalt." Lucina put her hand up to her eye, "You will find that I am quite observant, and my son-when he applies himself-is doubly so."

"So, what are you hiding?" Lucina did not know what to say, and her host tried a different approach, "I bear you no ill will, but my son is all that matters to me anymore; if you seek to harm him, then I will protect him whatever the cost."

"I assure you that I do not mean your son or yourself any harm. As for the brand, it is a complicated matter. One that I am not at liberty to discuss."

"Are you on the run from the royal family? Because I do not want nor need the royals snooping around."

"I am not running from the authorities," Lucina reassured, "But I would rather not discuss it all the same."

"I can respect the need for privacy," she replied after analyzing her for some time, "I do not think you are lying, and it is clear that Robin is excited to meet someone new. We do not have much, but you are free to stay here for the time being. You can help Robin with his chores until I find you some work."

"That is very generous of you, but I should not impose."

"You do not have to accept if you do not want to, but you should consider it carefully. It is not easy out on your own; I know."

There really were not many options open to her at the moment. She risked altering the past by staying, but, then again, that was the point in her being there. So long as Robin joined up with her father at the right time-and she did know that date-then it should still play out well enough. Maybe she could even find a way to save him too.

Yes, she knew full well what had become of Robin, but she also knew that it was not his fault. Saving her father and the world was her top priority, but she had also hoped to save Robin as well.

So, with no small amount of doubt, she agreed to stay-for the night at the least. Robin was happy to hear the news. It was strange to see him so…young. He had always seemed so mature to her. However, his curiosity might prove difficult, but she would handle that as the need arose. For now, she would just have to keep her head down as she waited for three long years.

 **A/N: So, I have made several alterations as you can tell. For one, the Shepherds actually shared what happened to Robin so that Lucina has a better idea of how to stop it. This story is really meant for two parts (both in the same story, don't worry). Part one is Lucina's time in the village and her relationship with Robin, his mother, and to a lesser extent, other townspeople.**

 **I kind of wanted to base Robin's mother off of the default female avatar, but they seem to work better as siblings. Maybe the older looking body type would work.**


	2. A New Place

"I should show you around town," Robin excitedly told his guest after hearing the news that she was staying.

"Not so fast," his mother scolded, "You still have chores to finish." He deflated after hearing those words, but protesting the point would not have helped him. "You can show her around after dinner. Now go on."

He reluctantly did as commanded, but his heart was clearly not in it, "Now," his mother turned to their guest, "You stay here and get some rest while I look for something for you to wear."

"Wear?"

"Yes, you draw too much attention in that," she referred to her blue battle garment complete with tattered cape, "It looks like it could use some work anyway." It was true, her battle attire was well worn, and it was not exactly common wear as she recalled what the villagers had been adorned in.

So Lucina agreed and rested her still tired legs as she took a seat at the table. While she waited she took in their house. It was simple enough with the table in the middle and a small kitchen to the left of the door separated from the rest of the house by a partial wall. To the right was another room that she had yet to enter. Finally, there was a staircase to a second level on the far wall which led to what she assumed to be the sleeping quarters.

It was a cozy little abode; certainly better than the holes in the ground and ruined forts that she was accustomed to staying in. It was fairly small, but it was not drafty and it had an intact roof. Those were untold luxuries to her.

Soon though, her host came back with a bundle in her arms, "Here," she handed the bundle to the princess, "Try these on. It may be a little big, but it is the closest thing I have to your size. You can change upstairs. First room on the left."

Lucina climbed to the second floor which led to a simple hall with two doors. As instructed, she went into the first door to be greeted by a plain room with little in the way of decorations, but she did not look around much. Instead she unfurled the bundle to find that it was a simple beige skirt and top.

She noticed almost immediately that they were indeed too large. It really brought to Lucina's attention just how thin she had become. One glance at the mirror on the dresser against the wall showed her just how much of a grip malnutrition had on her. She had not seen her own visage for quite some time, but she was still thinner than she remembered. Her cheeks were sunk in, and she was unhealthily pale; though she had almost forgotten what healthy looked like until she had come here.

In reality, her malnutrition was to be expected though. There were days were she seemed to continue on pure will alone. No wonder they were willing to help her though, since she looked so pitiful. She certainly did not look very threatening, but maybe she could build up her strength now that she was here.

In any case, she tied the strap on the skirt extra tight and continued on back downstairs.

"Well," Robin's mother gave her a once over, "It will do for now, but we will need to get you some new clothes. You can get these fixed up when we do," she took the blue bundle from the girl.

"That is kind of you, but you do not have to do that."

"If you are so concerned about it, then you can help out around the house, but that can wait until tomorrow. For now, you should rest. There is a small sofa in there," she directed Lucina to the small room that she had not entered, "I will wake you when dinner is ready."

"Thank you," Lucina gave a slight bow of appreciation. She may have lived through the apocalypse, but she still had her manners as it was not something that she could easily forget. Her mother always made sure that she was a polite little princess, and those lessons stayed with her long after her mother had left her even if they were a bit rusty at times.

The room was a small sitting room. It had a small sofa and another padded chair in front of a small fireplace. There was a table there as well along with a bookshelf that seemed to have quite a few volumes and another decorative table against the inner wall.

Taking her seat on the worn sofa, she unhooked her boots-she had kept them from her old attire-and put them aside as she laid on the sofa. She did not take long to drift off despite some trepidation. These seemed like good people, and this was Robin's house after all. Plus, she _was_ really tired, and now that she was not under constant threat of attack, she could afford the luxury of a nap.

* * *

She awoke with a start, reaching for her blade only to grasp air as she remembered where she was. Another nightmare had plagued her sleep reminding her that even that simple luxury was tainted. She breathed deep and greeted the somewhat surprised Robin who was just watching her at this point.

"Is there something that you require?"

"Uh, mother said that dinner is almost ready and that you should wash up," he responded not quite sure of himself any longer.

She sat up fully upright once again and grabbed her boots as he continued, "Here is your water," he gestured to a bucket at his feet, "And I'll, uh, knock when the food is ready."

The future tactician excused himself, and she got to work washing off her hands and arms. Once again realizing just how rough she must have appeared. She decided that she would seek more proper bathing at the earliest opportunity. The least she could do for her hosts would be to not filthy up their house. She set the bucket aside when she was done, purposing to reuse it later.

She was just in time it would seem, because she heard a knock on the door just as she was walking toward it. The meal consisted of mostly fruits and vegetables. Meat was an uncommon occurrence it would seem, but Lucina was fine with that. To her, this was a feast.

Robin remained mostly silent throughout the meal as he seemed eager to finish so that he could show her around. Lucina was also quiet as she focused on her food, barely keeping herself from tearing into it like a brute.

When she finished, Robin quickly seized the opportunity to ask his mother if they could go.

"Alright, but be back before dark," she calmly commanded, and Robin eagerly led her out of the house.

Once they were outside, he began to lead her into the heart of the village pointing out the housing as they went, and who lived where. He seemed to know the names of everyone in town. Then they reached the main square which Robin had either avoided when bringing her in, or she was not quite as alert as she thought she was. It was lined with businesses and even a town hall.

"Mother teaches some of the younger children here during the winter months," Robin commented about the town hall, "She's not actually a teacher, but she is quite knowledgeable."

"Here we have the general store," It was a small building with a long window, "It's run by the Reardons. They're nice enough, but they aren't exactly the most social people."

He continued to show her around the various stores, but he only took her inside one of them, "I frequent this place a lot." Lucina looked around; it was a book store. She supposed that was quite fitting actually.

"Robin," an elderly man with a balding head greeted from where he was rearranging some of the books, "Here for something in particular, or are you just browsing?"

"I'm actually giving Lucina here a tour of the town."

The older man adjusted his glasses and seemed to notice her for the first time, "Ah, welcome to Arton, miss," he held out his hand which she politely took, "My name is Jonathan Dillard. I hope you enjoy your visit, miss. Robin here is one of my best patrons, and a fine young lad. Plus, his mother teaching the townsfolk how to read is really the only way I can stay in business."

"Well, we need to get going," Robin told the older man as he noticed that they were running short on time."

"Farewell; tell your mother that I send her my greetings, and it was nice meeting you miss," he replied with a smile as they left.

"Well, that's about all there is to show," Robin commented as they idled in the square, "In town at least. It's not much, but it's home. So, what do you think?"

"It is wonderful," she answered truthfully, yet her companion chuckled eliciting a confused glance from the princess.

"You don't have to spare my feelings. Don't get me wrong; it's my home and I love it, but I know that it is certainly nothing grand."

"I was being honest," Lucina reaffirmed as she gave the quiet village a once over, "To me, this _is_ amazing."

"Well, in any case, that's the tour. So what's it like where you come from?"

She tensed up at the question and did not meet his gaze, "It is…unpleasant. I would rather not talk about it."

"Okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Robin agreed though he was somewhat disappointed at the lost opportunity. "We should probably head back now," he made note of the twilight on the horizon, but before they had made it ten feet a cry came from behind them.

"Robin!" came a high voice-clearly female-which caused Robin to experience a restrained cringe. It seemed that he had yet to master his ability to hide his emotions.

He cleared his throat as he reluctantly turned around and greeted the newcomer, "Elaine."

"Hey! I thought that I saw you out here, and I wanted to say 'hi!'" she certainly seemed active. She then appeared to notice Lucina for the first time, though that seemed a bit unlikely considering that they were in the open with no other people nearby, "And who might this be?"

"Uh, this is Lucina," Robin introduced her, "She's staying with me and mother for the night."

"Oh, are you family?"

"No, she just needed place to stay, so mother agreed to let her stay the night with us."

"I…see," the girl seemed to not care for that answer.

"If you'll excuse us," Robin quickly chimed in before she could say anything else, "Mother wants us back before dark, so we should get going."

"Oh, okay," she deflated again, but she perked up quickly enough, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Maybe," Robin responded as he guided Lucina away at a quickened walk. Once they were halfway to his house, he finally slowed down with a sigh, "Sorry about that, but she seems to think that we're engaged."

"So you do not return her feelings?"

"No," Robin answered quickly, "We went on one date a few years ago, but that was it. Honestly, she's fine enough, but I just don't like her the way she likes me. Though a lot of people in town seem to think we'll end up together."

"I see," Lucina mused as they approached the house.

Robin's mother was waiting for them as they entered the house. She was reading a book which she did not bother to look up from as she addressed them, "I was worried that I might have to come looking for you."

"My apologies, ma'am," Lucina started, "I should have kept better track of the time."

Her hostess looked up from the book and addressed no one in particular, "She does not do well with sarcasm it would seem," she closed the book, "You are back in time; that is what matters."

"You can sleep on the sofa for the night," she informed Lucina, "I have put a spare blanket out for you."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Her hosts then proceeded to bid her a good night's rest and Lucina was left alone in the sitting room. This really was a nice place it seemed. She had to admit that she was really tempted to stay. It may disrupt the timeline, but she had nowhere else to go. Perhaps it would not be too bad if she just stayed until she built up her strength. Maybe she could even save up some funds to help her along elsewhere. Yes, surely that would not cause too much harm to stay for a short while.

 **A/N: I focused a good deal about Lucina's poor living conditions in this. For one, it seems to be largely overlooked that with the world in ruin, they would almost certainly be suffering from malnutrition. Also, the fact that she seems to come through looking pristine seems unlikely.**

 **As for Robin, I hope he seems alright here. I have to age him down, but I'm not entirely sure if I'm getting him in the right age/behavior bracket so feedback on him in particular would be nice. Also, I will not be giving too many details about future Robin. I tend to avoid the whole Lucina having a crush on him as a child thing since some have made the jump to…well, inappropriate things. It can be great, but I just tend to avoid writing it.**

 **Finally, I added more description this time around than I usually do. Hopefully it was coherent.**


	3. Curiosity

Lucina was an early riser; it was just how she was even before Grima's return. So it was not much of a surprise when she awoke to a quiet and dark house. Putting on her boots, she walked over to a window to see that the sun had not yet appeared above the horizon. Stretching, she decided that she could use this alone time for some practice.

She made sure to be quiet as she snuck outside grabbing Falchion on her way. She did not like to be without it, but Robin had taken her so quickly yesterday that she had failed to pick it up. It was probably for the better anyway as the townspeople would probably be much more cautious of someone carrying a sword. Plus, she did not need to risk someone recognizing the blade. Robin's mother had already proven that she knew about the brand, and it was entirely possible that she or someone else would know about Falchion. She would just have to learn to live without it constantly at her side.

However, in the cover of early morning, she decided that few would see her. The house was on the outer edge of town in any case so there should be few onlookers. With that in mind, she began practicing her swings. She found that a skirt did not lend itself to full combat, but she managed with the more basic techniques for the time being. Time carried on as she became lost in the familiar motions, and before she realized it, the sun had fully risen.

"There you are," Robin commented to her surprise, "When you weren't there this morning I thought you might have left."

"My apologies," she sheathed the blade despite not actually wearing the scabbard for a change, "I decided to get in some practice. I hope I did not disturb you."

"No, you're fine. Where did you learn your swordplay though?" his curiosity reared its head once again, "I've never seen someone wield a blade quite like that."

"I learned much by experience; I am afraid that my formal training was cut short."

"Oh," he seemed to realize that it was another touchy subject and let it drop, "Well, breakfast is ready if you're done."

"Yes, that should suffice," she followed his lead and went back into the house where his mother was waiting.

As they were eating, Robin brought up Lucina's skill with a blade causing his mother to comment as she sipped her water, "So that's what you were doing at such an early hour."

"Yes, ma'am," she responded politely, "I am sorry if that is against your rules." Given the sword at the door policy, Lucina was not sure if her practice was frowned upon now that it was brought up.

"No, so long as you keep it outside and do not try to hurt either of us, I do not have a problem with it."

"I assure you that I had no intentions of harming anyone."

"Good, then we have no problem," she replied simply as she went back to her meal.

"Actually," Robin began, "I was wondering if you could teach me. If you don't mind."

Lucina thought it over. She supposed that helping him refine his swordplay would not be a bad change to the timeline. A change, most certainly, but having Ylisse's top tactician even better equipped to handle the dangers that faced them could prove useful. So long as the increased skill did not make him over confident.

"I would be willing to teach you," she agreed, "If it is okay with your mother."

"Yes, I suppose that would be okay," she consented as her son looked at her expectantly, "I have taught you what little I can about swordplay, but it would be better for you to know more than the basics." Robin smiled in excitement at getting to learn the new skill, but his mother was not finished, "But, you have to keep up your chores. Understood?"

"Yes, mother, thank you."

She sighed at her son's exuberance, "Please try not to hurt yourself." She quickly changed focus though, and addressed her guest, "So I take it this means that you have decided to stay with us."

"Yes, ma'am, for a time at least. If that is alright with you."

"You will have to carry your own weight," she cautioned.

"Of course," the princess responded graciously.

"Then you can stay. I will be going to town today, and I want you to shadow Robin for the day as he does his chores. Robin, make sure that she knows what to do."

"Yes, mother."

Robin's mother grabbed her coat soon after finishing her breakfast and exited the door with one last glance at the two. Waiting for a moment after she left, Robin addressed the princess, "So, what do you know about gardening?"

"Not much I am afraid."

"I guess that we'll just have to start from scratch then. I guess we can trade knowledge then," at first she thought that he was hoping to get more information about her past, but then she remembered her agreement to teach him swordplay.

He led her behind the house where a moderately sized garden stood fenced in, "It's not huge, but it provides most of what we eat. Anything else we need, we buy with money we get from odd jobs here and there."

She then became acutely aware of a potential problem, "I do not wish to overexert your food supplies."

He looked at her smiling, "Don't worry about it," he replied as he opened the gate and let her through before closing it back, "My mom loves to be prepared. She usually keeps a good three months of spare food in the house. Besides, with more hands, we should be able to produce a bit more if we need to."

So Robin began to show her his routine. However, his curiosity had apparently not been satiated, "So, is there anything you can tell me about yourself?" he asked almost desperate for _something_ from this mysterious stranger, "Are you a soldier or something?"

In a way, she supposed that she was. She was hesitant, but she felt that he deserved something. However, this was Robin-albeit still young and inexperienced, but no doubt still very bright; she had to be careful what she told him lest she give him a clue to her identity. So she thought of something that she could tell him that would not reveal who she was. Something relatively vague.

"I am sixteen years of age," she responded somewhat lamely, and Robin did not look impressed.

"I guess it's a start," he relented as he pulled a weed, "Well, my life isn't all that interesting. I've lived here for as long as I can remember. From what I've gathered, my mom came her when I was a little over a year old. Some of the villagers took pity on her and took her in, but when the local well ran dry, she helped save the village by finding another one. She even planned an aqueduct to bring in water from the river. After that, the village showed its appreciation by giving her this plot and house. We've lived here ever since."

He moved to check a part of the fence which had been damaged, "My mom is smart too, so she has found a way to make a living all these years. For one, she's better at math than anyone else in town so she can really help with finances and trade. She could probably run a good shop if she wanted, but she just works for the Reardons a lot."

"I do odd jobs here and there," he continued as he inspected the crops for insects, "Mostly at Mr. Dillard's if he ever needs help. We've managed fairly well."

"I do not think it fair that you should tell me all this when I cannot speak of my own life," though she would be lying if she said that she was not curious. The Robin she knew never spoke of these years, at least not without some prying.

"Huh," he smiled slightly, "I guess you're right, but, be honest, would you have told me if I had bargained it?"

"I am afraid not," she answered apologetically.

"Didn't think so," he chuckled, "Don't worry, you must have your reasons, so don't let my curiosity make you uncomfortable."

"You are fine," she assured, "I wish that I did not have to be so secretive, but it is important that I be so."

"You're awfully serious," Robin observed.

"I…suppose I am," she had not really noticed. She did not have much choice in the matter; it was grow up quickly or die.

"You said that you're sixteen, right?"

"Yes…" she eyed him unsure of where he was going, but she could almost see an idea formulating behind those brown eyes.

"And what do you do for fun?"

"Fun? I–" she did not have fun. Fun was something that was scarce in her future; there was simply no time for it when every moment could determine life or death, "I do not really do anything for fun."

Robin looked genuinely surprised that she had answered with _nothing_ , "Nothing?" he repeated.

"I never had time for such things," she answered suddenly self-conscious as she did not fully meet his gaze.

"Well then," he started, "We'll just have to do something about that, now won't we?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he patted himself down to get off any loose dirt, "That we need to find you a hobby."

"A…hobby?"

"Yeah, something that people do because they enjoy it. The question is, what? You have nothing that you enjoy?"

"Nothing that could relate to a 'hobby.'"

"At least we have a clean slate to work with here," he sighed, "Of course, I won't make you if you don't want to."

"No, it should be…interesting," it may have been a frivolous endeavor, but to refuse him seemed unnecessarily harsh. Truth be told, she was curious as well. She knew that she should remain focused on her objective and not fraternize too much with the people of this time, but she was also their guest. Besides, how much harm could such a thing cause?

 **A/N: I thought a bit about how to set up Robin and his mother in the village, and since she was knowledgeable and from the desert; it stood to reason that she knew a bit about finding water and getting it from point A to point B.**

 **Also, I cut this one a bit short. That seemed like a decent enough stopping point, and when I tried to continue it just did not seem to mesh well.**

 **I want to ask though: what kind of hobby would actually suit Lucina? By her backstory, she never really does much if anything for recreation so I pretty much have to come up with this on scratch.**

 **And, yes, I will use Robin's perspective at some point, but introductions are probably best done from the view of the stranger.**


	4. Field, Flowers, and Tactics

"Alright," Robin spoke as they made the trek to town once again. After finishing his chore around lunch-he said that there was not too much to do since he had done it the day before-he decided that they should go to town so that she could work on finding something that Lucina might enjoy doing, "So you have _nothing_ to work with?"

"Nothing in recent memory," she admitted while avoiding her companion's gaze.

"What about in not recent memory?"

"Well," Lucina thought about her days at the castle. She never got very far into the princess training, but she did remember a few introductions to certain topics if just barely. Her mother also spent some time with her teaching her some of her baking secrets, and she always enjoyed those moments. Although she was not sure if it was the baking she enjoyed or the time with her mother, "I may be able to think of one or two things."

"That's good," Robin smiled, "I have an idea on how to help in your search, but I don't know how fruitful it will be.

"I'm sure that it will be fine," Lucina reassured causing him to smile once again which in turn made her lips curve slightly upward themselves, "So what do you do for fun?" Lucina threw the question back at him.

"Hmm?" he looked at her not quite expecting the question, "Oh, I'm really just a bookworm for the most part. I'll read just about anything, but I really like tactics."

"Really?" she was not surprised in the least. He was one of the best tactical minds to ever live, or, so she heard some of the adults say as a child. Outside of a few blemishes, he held an impressive record, especially given the odds he faced. He was the single largest factor responsible for keeping most of the Shepherds alive through two wars…but once he was gone and they found themselves against greater odds than they had ever faced before, they started to fall one by one.

"Yeah," Robin broke her out of her reverie, "I love to read anything about it. My selection is admittedly limited, but I like to study and learn from what I do have. I've even developed a few theories of my own. However, any time I try to get anyone to play me in a simulation, well, they usually don't on account of the fact that I beat them so handedly. My mom will indulge me every now and then, but I don't think that she likes my interest in tactics very much."

"Why not?"

Robin sighed as he looked down and then back to his companion, "I think that she might be afraid that I'll join the military seeing as that is really the only applicable place to use those skills. I don't want to leave her, and I know she just wants to keep me safe; however, I might be able to help people if I did go. Then again, maybe I don't have what it takes to be a tactician."

Lucina found what she was hearing somewhat hard to believe. This was-or would be-the best tactician alive, and yet he was unsure of himself. He clearly got past his self-doubt eventually, but what if she changed that? She decided that encouragement was the best course of action; erring on the side of caution and so forth.

"You should not give up so easily," she looked at him sternly, "If you apply yourself and keep working hard, then you may become a tactician yet."

"Maybe you're right," Robin admitted after thinking over her words, "Thanks, I'll be sure to hone my skills. Maybe we could run a simulation or two."

"…yes, that would be fascinating," it was a chance to hone her own meager tactical ability. Tactics were fairly straight forward when your opponent had no brain, and no amount of tactics could turn the tides in humanity's favor.

Robin was once again wearing a smile, "That's enough about me, though, now we need to focus on you. Now, like I said, I think I might know a way to help the process along."

"And how is that?"

"Let me show you," sure enough he led her back to the bookstore.

"How will this help?"

Robin smiled sheepishly, "I told you I was a bookworm," he led her to a specific section after a quick greeting to Mr. Dillard. "This section contains several 'hobbyists' books. They detail a selection of recreational activities; surely one of them will appeal to you."

She glanced at several covers. There was a wide enough selection ranging from the arts to the more practical. Several of the topics she remembered from her youth, and some of them might even help her contribute to her hosts.

"See anything?" Robin asked as he put a book back on the shelf behind her.

"I will need to think about it further," she replied. There was a fair amount of choices to shift through.

"Fair enough," Robin consented casually as he looked out of the store window, "We still have plenty of time," he looked back to his guest, "If you don't mind, then I would like to show you the rest of the town. I got sidetracked yesterday, and I didn't get to all of it."

"Very well, please lead the way."

The rest of the town was not very different from what she had already seen. It was mostly more houses with a few storehouses here and there, and the buildings slowly thinned as they found themselves in open field. Lucina recognized it as where she had awoken when she arrived in this time.

"And this leads to the main road," Robin finished his tour, "You weren't really missing much, but I thought that you should know how to navigate in case you ever needed or wanted to come this way."

"It is a lovely view," she absently commented as she looked out over the sprawling fields perpendicular to the road.

"Huh?" he looked away from the road and toward his companion then the fields, "Yeah, it's peaceful. Nothing all that spectacular though."

Lucina did not move. She was not quite ready to leave; she was enjoying the simplistic beauty of a landscape uncharred by the dragon's breath. Robin apparently decided to let her have her moment and took a seat on the ground to wait for her. Eventually he did suggest that she sit to which she obliged. She noticed a flower not far from her and picked it. It was so simple, and yet it was so foreign.

"I don't understand you," Robin started, "How can someone so serious be so taken with such simple things as a field and flowers?" He picked another of the flowers and inspected it, "To me, it's just another flower."

"I suppose you think me childish," Lucina said embarrassed that she had slipped into such raw fascination.

"I'm not sure if childish is the right word, but it is odd that someone who wore a sword and such battered clothes would also walk around my simple village in awe as if seeing something new or wondrous."

She suddenly became somewhat nervous. Surely he would not actually piece together her origin though; who would think of time travel as a logical solution?

"So what conclusions have you come to?" she almost dreaded the answer as she refused to meet his face instead focusing on the white flower in her hand.

"I haven't; at least not yet. You're a mystery, that much is certain, and I have to admit that I am curious."

"I cannot tell you about my history."

"I know, but one as mysterious as yourself presents certain questions. I'll try to keep those questions to myself though."

She supposed that some theorizing could not hurt too much. She may not want to have him scrutinizing her, but it was better than open questioning. "Very well," she relented, "I suppose that will work."

He smiled, "Well, we should be getting back," he put the flower on the ground and shook the dirt from his trousers. Lucina got up to do likewise, but she gave her flower a second glance. There were many of them here; there was no real reason to keep it. So she reluctantly let it drop to the ground as well as they went back to the house.

* * *

"Hello, mother," Robin greeted as they entered into their abode.

"There you are," she set the pan down, "So, how was your day? Did you get through your chores alright?"

"Yes, mother," Robin nodded.

"Do you have a fair grasp on what to do as well?" she directed that question at Lucina.

"Yes, ma'am, I believe so."

"That is good, but you may not have to do it so much."

"What do you mean?"

"I hope to find you work in town, but to do so you will need some presentable clothes; preferably some which fit. To that end I will take you shopping tomorrow for something of your own. We can also get your old outfit mended."

"That is very generous of you, ma'am," she had not been shopping-clothes shopping at least-in ages. Not since she had gone with her mother to the market.

"Do not think too highly of me; it is more of a loan."

"Still, thank you."

They followed with their meal and then Robin invited Lucina to run through some tactics. He really just showed her the basics though. As expected, he already had a superb grasp of those basics, but soon it was time that they went their separate ways to sleep with Lucina reminding Robin to be up early for training.

As she set her boots aside for sleep she wondered how her interference would change things. It was almost certain that she would have some impact-as that was the point-but Robin was critical to winning two wars and she did not want to risk that. She also knew that getting close to him could make what she might have to do all the harder. She wanted to save him as her mother as well as others including her aunt defended him to the last as she continuously declared that it was not his fault, but if worse came to worst, saving him may no longer be an option.

Still, leaving now would instill more questions into the young Robin, and she was not sure how that would affect his life path. She was walking a delicate line, but at least if she stayed she could help make sure that he did what he needed to do. Maybe she could even help him do it better.

 **A/N: First of all, thank you for your input as far as the hobby goes. I know I didn't really get into it here, but I do intend to get to it.**

 **Explaining Lucina's logic can be somewhat tricky since I have to find a way to get her to stay in the first place despite her being so against interfering (something I have probably toned down a bit), but gutting Robin on first sight is not a good idea as I presented here. I have also taken some liberties with how much the Shepherds knew and/or shared about Robin's part in everything that happened. For one, blaming him would seem kind of harsh if they knew that he didn't choose to do any of those things. As far as some other plot points go, well, I don't want to give anything away.**

 **Figuring out when to start romance can also be an issue, but rest assured that right now Robin is merely curious about the stranger as we move into friend territory.**

 **I am also drawing blanks for a final title. I'm not terribly certain that the current one makes sense so if you have a suggestion or think its fine feel free to run it by me.**


	5. Swordplay and Shopping

Lucina rose before the sun once again as she set about her usual practices. She got in a good amount of practice before she started to wonder about her "student." She did not expect him to be awake as early as she was, but it had been at least half an hour.

She debated on whether or not to wake him herself. On one hand, he seemed genuine in his desire to learn and probably just overslept, but on the other, well, she had reservations about intruding. So she stood frozen at the front door as her mind tried to determine a proper course of action.

So she was found when Robin finally came out of his own accord, "Sorry I'm late," he closed the door behind him, "I'm not used to getting up so early."

"It is fine," Lucina relented giving up her own internal struggling as she handed Robin a stick which he looked at a bit strangely, "We lack practice swords; these will have to do until I can find a suitable replacement. It will not carry the same weight as a normal weapon, but you should be able to at least mimic my movements. Are you ready?"

He nodded to the affirmative, "Good. You mother indicated that you had some knowledge of how to handle a blade; in order for me to know where to start, I want you to show me what you know. Assume a ready stance."

He did as instructed and assumed his ready stance. It was somehow…off, she noticed; which she supposed to be expected seeing as most of his knowledge likely came from books as opposed to experience or training. As she ordered him through his slices and cuts it became increasingly apparent that he knew how to swing a sword, but he knew little about the ins and outs of swordplay. He could evade an attack, and he could deliver a counter blow of sorts, however; it was far from "proper;" not that she could offer too much criticism on that area. Still, he was unrefined and sloppy with his movements. Given time and practice though, he may yet be able to refine his methods. She knew that he was known as a fierce duelist in her time, but this boy was far from the man who made armies tremble it would seem.

She was not sure how to proceed with his training seeing as she was given little formal training herself. So she decided to start with the basics: footwork. She repeated some of her techniques with his focus on her feet and told him to do the same. He was able to recreate her movements with surprising aptitude, but he was still a long way from mastering the blade.

"That is enough for today," Lucina told him after an hour or so, "You have performed well for your first session. We will continue tomorrow if you do not mind."

"That should work," he dropped his "sword."

Breakfast was simple once again, but Lucina relished the still new feeling of a full stomach. However, she had been able to slow down her eating to be more in line with the manners that she had drilled into her mind as a child.

"You will have the house to yourself," Robin's mother reminded her son as she proceeded to give him directions for the day. Oh yes, her shopping trip. Normally she would probably be excited about the prospect, but she did not like imposing on others-even if she was going to repay them.

"Are you ready?" she asked as Lucina set her dishes aside neatly and picked up the blue bundle that was her battle attire.

"Yes, ma'am," the princess responded somewhat stiffly. Lucina followed the older woman's lead as they quietly made their way to wherever they were going. She was much less talkative than her son, and Lucina had no idea what to say. So she said nothing as they both traveled in silence.

Nothing was said the whole way there, and only when they arrived at their destination were any words spoken.

"Take a look around while I talk to the tailor about this," Lucina gave her the blue bundle, "Just try not to find the most expensive thing here."

Lucina did indeed take a look around. She looked around at it all in amazement. She felt like a child again with her own mother. Most of the selection looked more or less the same though, and simple beige, cream and brown with a little black thrown in seemed to be the most common colors.

Then she noticed it buried in the back of ben with only a sliver of color peeking through, but it was enough. She pulled it out to admire it in its entirety. It was a bright greenish color for most of the dress' length, but around the top it had some blue thrown in as well in what most would call a hodgepodge of color and thread, however; Lucina admired it.

"Have you-oh," Robin's mother cut herself off when she saw what her new ward was holding, "I see you found one of Mrs. Noreen's works."

"Why was this hidden in the back of the ben?" she asked not taking her eyes off of the dress.

"In the past few years, Mrs. Noreen has been having some…difficulties. So she sometimes just makes clothes out of whatever she can find and her husband just lacks the heart to tell her no. So he just hides them away where no one will see them. Apparently he did not hide this one well enough."

"I like it."

The older woman did not respond immediately, "What?"

"I like it," she repeated without fail or hesitation finally looking at her hostess.

She did not seem quite sure how to respond to that, but she quickly recovered, "You really should avoid wearing something so flamboyant if you want to avoid drawing attention to yourself, trust me."

Lucina felt herself falter after that. She had a point. Wearing such vibrant clothes would draw more attention to herself than she attracted already. So she reluctantly put it back and retrieved a much more ordinary set of clothes which Robin's mother paid for and they left back for the house.

The trip was once again filled with silence, but Lucina felt as if she should try to get on her hostess' good side since she may be staying here for some time. However, she was not entirely sure where to start. Socializing was never her strong suit, but she determined to try in any case.

"So, do you know the Noreens personally?"

She looked at the princess curiously, but answered anyway, "I have been acquainted with them for some time."

"So are you are friends?"

"I would hardly consider them 'friends.' I do not make a habit of making friends-only connections and acquaintances."

"How many 'connections' do you have?"

"Several. Why the sudden interest in my social interactions?" she questioned suspiciously.

"My apologies," she gave a slight bow, "I was just attempting to make conversation."

"Perhaps it would be best if we agreed not to pry into each other's lives as it seems we would both prefer to keep a bit of anonymity."

"Yes, ma'am," they both continued on for a while longer before Lucina broke the silence again, "May I ask one more question?"

"I do not guarantee an answer, but you can ask."

"Why did you help me if you want to keep to yourself?"

She looked at the teenager hard before finally responding, "For one, my son wanted to help you for he is a better person than I not to mention incredibly curious about the world so a stranger was too good of an opportunity for him to pass up. However, I also did it because your situation reminded me somewhat of my own some fourteen years ago."

"I know how difficult it can be in this world alone. You reminded me of myself when I set out with Robin. I thought it only fair to help you."

"Thank you."

"I apologize if I came off as a little too…coarse, but it is important that my son and I's identities remain secret. I am sure that you can appreciate that."

"Yes," she nodded, "I can."

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. They ate, and Robin continued to share his tactical knowledge with a passion rarely matched. She found herself wrapped up in his own enthusiasm which she found so refreshing.

As Lucina prepared to sleep, she started to wonder about something. The one time she had gotten Robin to talk about his mother-through no small effort of childish pleading-he seemed so sad. It seemed apparent that she did not survive to see his adulthood, but why was that? Also, was it just her who perished, or was Robin the sole survivor of Arton? It would explain his reluctance to talk about his past life and why he never went back to so much as visit, but if that were the case, what fate was destined to befall this town?

 **A/N: After I post this, I will probably be changing the title so shout out to Minimum Walk for getting me on the appropriate track. Maybe it will make sense.**

 **This chapter mostly focuses on Lucina and Robin's mother (as you can tell). It is an interesting thing to work on since she is so rarely written out, and Lucina rarely gets to meet her so it's nice to have them interact some as well as fleshing out the mother a bit.**

 **As it stands though, I am not sure how much I can just write them going about their business. I obviously will not give every day in these three years equal standing, but I also want to pace it properly so I need stuff for them to be doing. However, as for the hobby, there was one idea that I particularly took a liking to and plan to implement it soon (probably in the next chapter).**

 **I will also avoid answering questions about what will happen in the story to avoid giving too much away. Just rest assured that I have not forgotten the game.**

 **The idea of Lucina coming back early actually wasn't mine, but I can't remember the name of the story. There haven't been many to use that plot point though.**


	6. Mistakes

The next morning began much like the previous with the exception of Robin waking up earlier-not incredibly earlier, but still earlier. Lucina had him continue through the steps that she had taught him the day before. He was an exceptional study, but it would still take time for him to master the steps and move on to the next ones even if he did not take as much time as most people would have taken.

He was learning at an incredibly quick rate, and she would need to find a suitable practice blade for him to use sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, she saw no such thing for sale in town, and even if there was, she had no way to pay for it.

"That is enough for now," she let him stop, "We will continue tomorrow."

"How am I doing?" he inquired uncertainly as he prepared to go back inside, "I'm not a lost cause am I?"

"You are making fine progress," Lucina confirmed, "You still have much work ahead of you, but I believe that you will do fine."

He seemed pleased with the compliment and went about his morning. It was Lucina's turn to manage the garden as Robin's mother had yet to find her a job in town. Of course she was supervised by Robin during the process though. He instructed her whenever she either did something wrong or if there was a more efficient means of doing the task, but she had a fair grasp on what to do.

"Alright," Robin said as he held the spike in place, "Just hit it on the top until I tell you to stop." They were currently replacing a stake for the bean plants. Robin had done the first one, and Lucina was adamant that she would do her part to help which eventually led to Robin relenting and switching positions with the princess. She was to hammer it in while Robin held it firm. Lucina stood high on a stool with hammer in hand so that she could reach the top of it. "Just, uh, try not to miss."

Lucina tentatively made her first swing which hit the spike on the head causing it to go down a short distance. More sure of herself, she hit it again faster and harder. She came to the conclusion that it was not too much different from swinging a sword so she swung with even more fervor. Unfortunately for Robin, a hammer was actually quite different from swinging a sword, and Lucina missed the stake.

"Gah!" Robin clutched his-likely broken-hand.

"Oh!" Lucina dropped the hammer and rushed to his side, "I am sorry," she apologized profusely, but Robin seemed to pay her little mind as he stumbled through the pain into the house. Once inside, he started rummaging through some cabinets in the kitchen with his good hand until he pulled out a plain, eggshell colored bottle and took a sip of the contents.

"That's better," Robin sighed in relief though he still looked a little sore and held his hand tentatively. He finally looked to the confused and worried Lucina and held up the bottle, "Vulnerary. We keep a bottle for emergencies. I think this qualified."

"My apologies," she bowed slightly as was her reflex when apologizing, "I will pay for it somehow."

"I won't tell if you don't," Robin smiled-or was that a smirk?

"But–"

He cut her off with his expression growing softer, "It was an honest mistake. A painful one-granted, but a mistake nonetheless. What's done is done."

"You are too kind."

"And you are much too formal," Robin commented lightly, but Lucina did not pick up on that.

"My apologies."

Robin just chuckled a bit, "Come on, we still have to get that stake in."

* * *

Lucina had successfully planted the stake-much more cautiously this time-and had wondered off on her own for a little time to herself. She found herself in the forest behind Robin's house as she simply enjoyed the atmosphere.

She decided to sit on a log and take in the scenery. Looking at all the trees gave her an idea to solve one of her problems though. Practice swords could be made out of wood; so why not make one herself?

So with one swift swing of Falchion, a tree branch fell to the princess' feet which she took over to the log. She pulled out the knife that she kept in her right boot-all the more reason to keep her own boots-and got to work trying to carve out something in the semblance of a sword.

With little else to go on, she modeled the blade after Falchion. Of course the hilt was much too ornate to duplicate, but it should provide a decent model to base it off of.

Unfortunately, she cut the blade too thin; she would have to try again. So she retrieved another limb and began the process anew. It did not have to be perfect, but she wanted it to be as close to the real thing as she could manage which made it all the more frustrating when the blade came out too narrow. She wordlessly cast it aside and went for yet another branch.

* * *

Lucina huffed as she cast the latest attempt aside. Apparently, this was harder than she had imagined. Each one kept coming up wrong. Some were too short while others had too thin of a blade. Still, she had a new respect for the blacksmiths who had to do this with metal.

"Lucina!" she grabbed Falchion out of reflex before realizing who it was, "Ah, there you are," the future tactician commented in relief as he approached her, "I wasn't sure where you had run off to." Then he noticed the abundance of wood surrounding his guest, "Uh, Lucina, what are you doing?"

She looked around at all her failed attempts; she had not realized how long she had been at this, "I was attempting to make a practice sword."

"A practice sword, huh?" he picked up one of the rejects-admittedly, it was one of the better ones-and gave it a try, "So what's wrong with them?"

"A variety of things," she gave him a list of examples.

"Have you ever tried wood carving before?" Robin inquired as he looked over the wooden sword as well as the others on the ground.

"No"

"Then I'd say that you did a pretty good job," he swung it around a bit more, "It's certainly better than a stick, wouldn't you agree?"

"I…suppose so, but it is still not a proper weapon."

"Maybe not, but if you can do this on your first few tries, then I think you may be able to make a pretty good substitute with a little practice."

"I am not so certain," she looked at her companion, "But if you think so, then I suppose I could try it some more."

"Great!" Robin smiled triumphantly, "I really think you have potential," he spun the practice sword in his hand, "But in the meantime, I think I will use this for our sessions if you don't mind. I'm kind of tired of the stick already."

"…that is fine," Lucina relented, it was a little short, but it was probably better than swinging a stick around.

"Come on, mom said that dinner's almost ready," with that, he led her back to the house leaving Lucina to follow behind.

 **A/N: First off, sorry that this took so long (three days!), but I had some trouble figuring out what to do here. Expect some time skips shortly. I originally had Lucina doing the stakes first, but it didn't seem quite like Robin to make her do that even if it was her day. Maybe I'm off with that though.**

 **I actually have a short idea for a prelude to the new FE Warriors focusing on what the threat might be (nothing too deep); not sure if I'll ever write it (seeing as I boycott a certain entry) but, eh, what do you think?**

 **Edit: I suppose I can do a follow up to Unarranged Marriage next if that is what you want. I may turn it into a congruent story that I might occasionally update while still working on other projects.**


	7. A Friend

"That will do," Robin was making excellent progress. His movements were much more fluid now, and he mastered most of the movements she showed him within a day or two. Well, "mastered" may have been a generous term, but he was clearly a superb student.

However, he was still young despite his potential. She could see his confidence growing just a little too much. Confidence alone was not a bad thing; in fact, it was often an asset. However, it could easily turn into pride if not carefully kept in check, and pride could get someone killed; especially someone that would fill his position.

Robin finished the latest set of movements which now included actual swings, "I think I'm getting the hang of this," almost no sooner than the words had left his mouth, Lucina swept his legs out from under him with a sheathed Falchion.

"What was that for?" Robin asked from the ground as he pulled himself upright.

"Overconfidence leads to mistakes, and mistakes lead to death," she replied soberly, "It is best to learn that now rather than when someone's life is on the line."

"You couldn't have simply told me that?" he stretched as he stood up.

"My apologies if my methods appear too harsh, but you must know that you are most vulnerable when you believe yourself untouchable. It was one of the few formal pieces of advice that I received."

"Well, you are right I suppose," he commented as he dusted himself off, "The same could be said of tactics as well. Never take victory for granted."

"Yes, even the best of us fall short…" Lucina commented soberly. The best indeed. So many of the best had fallen both before and after Grima. One by one they fell as Grima made sure that humanity's death was a slow and painful one as hope was slowly strangled into oblivion.

"Hey," Robin shook her from her depressing thoughts, "Are you alright?"

"Pardon me, I was lost in thought. I will be fine."

"If you say so," he did not seem overly convinced, but he did not push the issue. Later that evening, Robin invited her to go with him to pick some stuff up for his mother which she agreed to. She found his company surprisingly pleasant. As improper as it may have been, she found herself becoming increasingly friendly with the one-day great tactician.

She knew it was probably a mistake, but he was…well, the closest thing to a friend she had at the moment.

"Let me know if you see any–" he thought back on what his mother had told him, "Rope or thread."

They split up as they searched the store for what they needed. There were many wares that Lucina would have loved to be able to get a closer look at, but she had a task to do. Lo and behold, she did actually find some rope with little effort. However, when she went to check on Robin he was beset by that Elaine girl.

Whenever she was not looking at Robin, he would make strange facial gestures which left Lucina a bit confused. He kept looking to her and then Elain as if he wanted her to do something, but she just looked at him with slightly squinted eyes as she tried to make sense of his motions.

Then he changed tactics and started mouthing, 'help me,' which Lucina finally understood. Though she still was not sure how to help him. They were carrying on a seemingly happy conversation whenever Elaine was looking directly at him, and she was taught not to interrupt other people or barge into conversations that were not her own.

Still, he clearly sought some form of escape from the overly energetic girl, and she thought it only fair to help someone who had been so kind to her.

"Robin," she approached, "I found the rope," she held up said prize.

"Ah, good!" Robin quickly took the opportunity given, "We should go now; shouldn't keep mother waiting and all that," he laughed awkwardly as he gently goaded Lucina to the counter so that he could pay.

Unfortunately, while they were up there to pay, Elaine did not give up the chase, "So, Robin, would you like to go out sometime? Maybe tomorrow?"

Lucina could see him visibly tense at her question as he pulled the money from a pouch, "Uh, I will have to pass."

"Again?" she huffed before looking at the princess, "Is this your doing?"

"What?"

"Why else would Robin keep refusing to go out with me?"

"This is a matter between the two of you," the princess defended against the accusation.

Elaine just gave the princess a dirty look as Robin grabbed what they had come for and pulled her away and out the door. Once they were a safe distance away, Robin sighed, "Sorry about that. She just can't seem to grasp that I don't like her like that. It's a real shame too, we used to be good friends, but then the townspeople started whispering about how we would make a cute couple and that we would probably marry, and I think she took it a little too seriously."

"So you have no plans to marry?"

Robin looked at her oddly, but answered her anyway, "I've no plans, but I haven't ruled it out. In fact, I wouldn't mind having a family one day, but I see no need to rush things. When I meet the right woman, then I'll get some plans. So what about you? Any plans to settle down and start a family one day?"

"I have not really thought much about it," that was nothing more than a fantasy for most of her life. In truth, it still was since she still had a job to do.

"Well, you're still young. You may find love yet; it's much too soon to give up hope," Robin smiled, "Your life must have been hard up given your condition when we met; you deserve as much."

"Thank you, Robin."

"What are friends for?"

"Friends?"

"Sorry," he quickly added, "I hope I didn't speak out of line."

"No, I would like to be your friend."

"Good, because you are whether you like it or not," he laughed slightly and she even found a small smile herself. She had a friend. It felt nice to have someone to talk to. She could not afford to tell him of the future, but he was willing to listen to her and put up with her inexperience with the things of the past. She was happy-actually happy-to call him a friend.

 **A/N: First Robin chapter up next. Other than that…I've tried to throw in more humor, but I don't want to sacrifice plot or character for humor so don't expect them to get too insane.**


	8. A Crush?

**Edit: Some changes to make Robin feel more in line with his age in the second part...and that's about it. No new chapter today.**

Robin groaned as he rolled himself out of bed. He was happy to be learning the sword properly, but he could do without the early rising. He could just hope that once winter rolled around and there were far fewer chores that Lucina would let up and allow their practice to be held later in the day.

He lazily slid into his boots and switched out his shirt for a new one. Robin would definitely consider himself more of a night owl as opposed to a morning person, but he forced himself up anyway. He paced around a little bit to wake himself up and then marched down the stairs to see what awaited him.

In the past month, he had advanced from simple footwork to full practice routines. He had practiced slices-both horizontal, vertical, and diagonal-thrusts, parries, and blocks until he was capable in all of them. He had even worked on a feint or two. He was a master by no means, but he had developed a fair grasp of the fundamentals and he fully intended to continue to hone his skills.

When he walked outside he was greeted by a demonstration of Lucina's sword play. Despite his lack of expertise, he could still appreciate just how skilled she was. He did not pretend to know how long she had practiced, but he had never seen anything like it nonetheless. A more skilled swordsman might notice the still rough parts of her style or the obviously self-taught techniques, but he was no swordsman-at least not yet-so they went unnoticed.

"Ah, Robin," she noticed him after finishing a set of exercises, "Are you ready to begin today's training?" In the roughly two and a half weeks since they established that they were friends, Lucina had loosened up a bit, but she was still incredibly formal. Robin had to wonder where she learned to be like that. Just another question to add to the list.

"Yeah," Robin brandished his wooden sword. Lucina had been busy perfecting her other craft and the results were getting quite good. Robin was currently using the fourth-or was it fifth-sword presented to him as Lucina kept improving the design.

"Actually," Lucina started as she brandished a wooden sword of her own much to Robin's surprise; she almost always used her own-very real-sword, "I thought we might have a friendly spar today."

Was she serious? Of course she was serious. One thing Robin had figured out about this mysterious young woman, was that she had quite possibly the worst sense of humor that he had ever come across. It was almost remarkable just how bad she was at humor.

"Spar? The two of us? I don't think I'm ready to take you on."

"Maybe not, but it will be a good way to test your progress. Besides, exercises can only do so much. You need to learn to put what you have learned to use."

Robin sighed reluctantly and assumed a ready stance; he had a feeling that he was going to regret this, "Alright then."

Lucina solemnly prepared her blade, and then she…did nothing. Robin supposed she at least wanted to give him the chance to attack once since he was likely to get destroyed and they both knew it.

Breathing deep, Robin charged forward with gritted teeth only to have his first swing unceremoniously parried and he soon found himself on the ground.

"You were too obvious," Lucina offered a hand, "You must keep your opponent from knowing what you plan to do next."

"Keep them guessing, huh?"

"Exactly," Lucina nodded, "Here, come at me again."

Robin did so, and this time he went for a thrust that he moved out of before reaching his target and went for another attack with little more success.

"Better," she hoisted him up again, "Again."

So Robin ended up repeating the same process several times, and each time he failed to land a single blow.

"You could use some work, but this is not bad for your first sparring session," Not bad? Seemed pretty horrendous to Robin, but she was the expert here.

"If you say so," Robin groaned; he was probably going to be sore for the rest of the day, but he figured that she could have done a lot worse if she wanted to.

"So, how did it go," Robin's mother turned around to see her son with dirt on his trousers, "Not well I take it."

"He is a good student," Lucina came to his defense, "However, he needs to practice more with an actual opponent," Robin mentally groaned; that meant that he could look forward to more sparring sessions in the future…wonderful.

She placed a bowl in front of both of them, "You should eat up. I'll need you to run to town later and pick up some supplies."

Robin stopped eating momentarily. Great, a trip to town. It is not that he did not like going to town, and he enjoyed spending time with Lucina, however; Lucina was part of the problem. Lucina looked like she was starving when she first arrived, but she had been recovering well since she had taken up residence with Robin and his mother. As she recovered, her beauty and feminine figure became more apparent which had led to…looks from some of the local boys, and Robin was not a fan of those looks.

Of course, Lucina herself was either unaware of the looks she garnered, or simply too polite to say anything about it. Robin on the other hand, was far too aware, and it rubbed him the wrong way. That is not to say that he had not noticed her increasing…health himself-he was a teenage boy after all-and she did seem to increase in beauty daily…. He really did not like the lecherous looks they gave her though.

She was more than a pretty face. She was deceptively kind underneath her cold exterior, and she was surprisingly artistic as her carving had proven. She had clearly been through a lot in her life, and yet she kept on a brave face. Whenever she smiled, it was such a sight that he just wanted to see it again, and what is happening?

Robin almost buried his face in his oatmeal from embarrassment as he realized the mental tangent he had just gone on. He just sounded like a love-struck teenager! Granted, he was a teenager, but…was he really–?

Surely it was nothing more than a simple admiration of her. Yes, that must be it. It had nothing to do with how her slightest giggle-yes, she giggled on occasion-could make him–no! No, he was _not_ going there. Just because he found himself thinking about her more and more as time went on, surely there was a perfectly logical explanation. She was a mystery, yes, surely that was it…except that he knew it was not.

At first, that was the main reason he was so interested in her beyond simply helping someone who was in dire need of some assistance. However, they soon grew closer and became friends. It had not been long, but he considered this stranger a good friend. Things had started to change for him not too long ago though. He grew even more attached to her, and her increasing beauty did little to help him to ignore those thoughts as he continued to rationalize them.

"Are you quite alright," his mother inquired as he had not said a word in quite some time. He looked up to see that both women's eyes were on him. He really hoped that he was not blushing.

"Uh, sorry," he collected himself, "What were we talking about?"

Conversation continued normally afterwards, but his mother did cast him a strange look.

Their trip to town was relatively quiet since Robin was still mulling over his latest batch of uncomfortable thoughts and he was usually the one responsible for most of their conversation. Once in town, they went about their tasks with relative ease since Lucina had become well acquainted with the town over the past month. However, Robin kept being distracted by the glances Lucina kept garnering.

When one of them opened a door for her, she thanked him and kept going while Robin narrowed his eyes at the boy before following after her. Maybe he was being ridiculous. Then again, she did seem helplessly naïve when it came to some things. Perhaps he should look out for her; of course, maybe he was just being…jealous?

Being jealous would mean that he did indeed have feelings for her. Ever since these thoughts had started to plague him, he had rationalized them away, but he could feel his resolve wavering as he finally admitted defeat and came to the full realization on that trek back home. After all, no amount of rationalizing could change the fact that he had a crush on the girl next to him.

 **A/N: I wanted to present this as non-pervy as I could, but on the other hand, he** _ **is**_ **a fifteen-year-old boy. I don't really know if this is enough time for him to foster a crush, but at least as her physical appearance improves from proper nutrition (well, as proper as a village like that would afford) he also finds himself falling for, well,** _ **her**_ **. I just want it to be clear that it's not purely physical attraction though that is certainly happening.**

 **And, yes, Robin may seem a little out of character, but this is young Robin and following his thought process, so hopefully it holds.**

 **Edit: I normally don't change things this much after I post, but I want to keep his reaction proper for his age and this is a fairly significant part of the plot. Hopefully it works, but if not I can either change it again, or just change it back.**


	9. Plan of Inaction

The next several days were incredibly awkward for Robin as he came to term with his feelings. More accurately, as he tried to decide what to do with them. He did not want to act rashly and scare her away, but at the same time he wanted to do something; he just did not know what.

All he knew was that he was becoming increasingly self-conscious around her, and it was starting to cause problems. He would occasionally stumble with his words whenever they spoke and would trip over himself to get through a sentence. It was really quite frustrating how his heart would seemingly beat faster whenever she was near and his thoughts clouded; especially since he prided himself on his sharp mind, but she had a way of dulling it.

However, despite his struggling, he was unable to find any way to impress her. Unfortunately, he was completely inexperienced in such matters. Maybe he should get her a gift, but she would probably just end up feeling guilty if he were to get her anything. Maybe it would work if it was something more thoughtful than expensive, but what would work? Flowers maybe? She did seem to like them, but, no, surely he could do better than that.

"Robin, are you alright?"

Oh yes, he was supposed to be training which was yet another area that had been affected by his distracted mind, and he had the bruises to prove it.

"Sorry," was all Robin gave in way of explanation.

"Robin, you have been unfocused lately. Is something the matter?"

"Never mind," Robin attempted to change the subject, "Now, where were we?"

Lucina put her practice sword away, "So long as you remain unfocused, you will not learn much from these sessions. Do you wish to quite your training?"

"No, it's not that. I'm just–I've got something on my mind."

"I see," she uncertainly added on, "Do you wish to talk about it? I have been told that helps."

"Err, I think I'll pass, but thanks anyway," she was the last person he wanted to talk to about this. Kind of ironic when he thought about it.

"Then I suggest we end early so that you can clear your mind. You will only continue to get hurt so long as you are distracted like this."

Robin certainly was not eager to get any more bruises, so he agreed to take some time to clear his head, and he knew just the place to do it. It was a place he had not yet shown Lucina, and therefore he had not been there much lately as he had been spending so much time with her as of late.

He liked to go there every now and then mostly for the lighting. Candlelight could be quite bothersome to read by, and huddling near a window was not always comfortable either, so when he found a nice and secluded clearing where he could read without interruption, he was delighted. It was fairly relaxing to boot.

However, he carried no book this time. No, it was just him and his thoughts as he sat in the middle of the clearing. Lucina was right, of course, he needed to get his thoughts under control; this was no way to live. Maybe he should just tell her and see what happened.

No, Robin leaned back and laid down in the grass, he was confident that would not end well. Robin sighed while he kept his eyes closed and felt the gentle breeze. Maybe he was overthinking things. He did not necessarily need to act immediately; he just had to control his thoughts a bit better so that he could actually function around her. That was easier said than done though.

He was no expert, but he really did like her…a lot. Did that mean he wanted to marry her? Not necessarily. He may have been young, but his mother had made it very clear to him that marriage is not something to be rushed into so he was probably a bit more cautious than most teenagers. Still, he was smitten, and that was undeniable. What was he to do?

* * *

"Robin?" said young man sat up almost immediately as someone entered his little hideaway. Fortunately, the "intruder" was just Lucina, but that also meant that his personal retreat was now compromised.

"Lucina, what are you doing out here?" he stretched as he got up. He was really comfortable down there.

"I came to find you after you did not come to breakfast."

Breakfast? Had it really been that long already? "Sorry, I lost track of time."

"Why did you come all the way out here?"

"I come out here to read a lot. It's quite peaceful actually which made it great for thinking."

"But you are not even armed, and it does not look very secure," she looked at the surrounding forest like there could be some terrible force ready to pounce the moment she took her hand off of her sword.

Robin gave a look around as well, "Well, there hasn't been a case of animal or bandit attacks around here for quite a while. I can't remember one in Arton for as long as I've been here."

Lucina gave him a sharp look, "That is no excuse for complacency."

"No, I suppose it isn't, but the closest reports of bandits are closer to the border, and the local wildlife is not usually very violent; especially in the early morning. Besides, it is a very relaxing place, and you suggested that I clear my head."

She gave another look around, one more focused on the surrounding itself rather than who or what might be hiding behind the next tree or bush, "I…suppose so."

Robin smiled as she relaxed her posture somewhat, "Just feel that breeze and sun; don't tell me that isn't relaxing."

"I never said that it was not relaxing; I said that it is dangerous to come out here unarmed, and I stand by that statement."

"I appreciate your concern, but I've been coming here for years without incident."

She wavered a little after that, "Still, I would not be a very good friend if I let you get hurt on your outings."

Robin could not help but smile. The fact that she showed so much concern for his safety was nice, even if she was going a little overboard.

"Well, rest assured that no harm will come to me. I'll even purpose to be more aware of my surroundings. Fair?"  
"That will do," she did not seem happy about it though. Still, he felt significantly better after their little chat. Perhaps his course of action should simply be to do nothing. Do nothing and wait and see what happens. If she started to show signs of liking him back, then he could act, but for now, he would continue being her friend and enjoying her company. Maybe one day they would be more, but if his tactics training and his mother's warnings had taught him anything: it was not to rush things.

 **A/N: Next chapter will probably be Lucina again. Also I did make some alterations to the last chapter if you missed it.**

 **Given her past, I can see Robin's mother warning him not to rush marriage.**

 **So, how 'bout that mobile game (3DS is broken so Echoes is kind of pointless for me)? I'm actually kind of looking forward to it despite not being a big fan of mobile games. I had kept my expectations to pretty much a card game so actual combat was a pleasant surprise. Of course people will complain though.**

 **Some people just won't be please; especially as I've seen so much dislike for Awakening. I could rant and rave about that, but I won't…at least not right now (I do dislike some entries myself though).**


	10. Feelings

It was another day which meant more chores; not that Lucina minded. She actually enjoyed the chance to feel useful to her hosts. However, some of the tasks slated for the day were a bit more labor intensive than most which meant that Robin insisted on doing them himself. She appreciated the thought, but the fact that he always did so made her feel like she was not carrying her full weight.

It did allot her more time to herself at the very least. So rather than watch Robin as he hammered away at the fence post-not that she hated that-she instead went off to practice her carving. Her swords had become much more adequate, but Robin had recently suggested that she try something other than a sword. She had yet to decide what to try though.

As she looked around the forest, she heard a chirping from above her and looked up to see a small bird perched on a branch above her. It was a fair looking creature with its orange underside and black head. With little else to work with, she decided to try her hand at reproducing said bird in wood.

She sat down and proceeded to shape the piece of wood into the general shaped of the avian. She had learned to go much slower than in her first attempts, and therefore was making very slow yet steady movements. Honestly, she was surprised that the bird had stayed put for so long, but she was not complaining.

The general shape of the creature was starting to take hold when she heard some rustling in the distance. She looked up to see that her little friend had disappeared much to her disappointment, but she had other concerns at the moment as she slid Falchion from its scabbard.

She inched forward carefully so as not to make a single sound as the encroaching sound-footsteps she now realized-came ever closer. Taking cover behind a tree, she looked carefully through the foliage trying to make out just who was there. She sighed with relief and lowered her blade as she saw familiar white hair and brown pants followed soon after by his calling out for her.

"Robin," she started as she resumed a casual stance, "What brings you out here?"

"Mother has some more errands, and I was wondering if you would like to accompany me."

"Yes, that sounds fine," she answered while Robin looked behind her to see the neglected scabbard lying on the ground.

"You thought I was a brigand again, didn't you?" he smirked while Lucina blushed slightly. She may have overreacted once and drawn her blade on him by mistake, but that was weeks ago. It was not like she was going to strike him down either; she simply poised herself to be able to defend herself as she found out the intruder's motives.

"I prefer to be prepared," she defended herself.

"Sure you do," he poked fun at her. She was getting a slight-slight being the key word-understanding of when he was joking, but he was the only one she had started to learn. "So what have you been working on," he asked as he strolled over to the fallen scabbard.

"Not much," she quickly and somewhat bashfully covered. She was not as confident in her work as he was; especially not when it was something so outside of her comfort zone.

"A bird?" he picked up the rough carving and looked it over. At least he could decipher its species; that was a plus, "Not bad," he looked up, "I don't suppose you know what type of bird this is?"

"No, I am afraid not," she proceeded to describe it to Robin though.

"Huh," he thought it over, "I'm no expert, but I might have to look that up some time. Anyway," he pulled himself away from the subject, "Shall we be going?"

Robin continued to chat livelily along the way which made Lucina glad. After his distraction two weeks prior, she had grown concerned for the future tactician. She was worried over what might make him so out of sorts, and wished that there was more she could do. So when he finally returned to his old self, she was quite glad.

She had not realized just how much he had come to mean to her before that. Now she made sure to appreciate his company even more, but she had started to wonder if she was going a step or two beyond that. It was nothing much, but she was afraid that she might be becoming too attached to the young man.

He had an important role to fill in events to come-some parts of which actually needed to be carried out. He was from another time as her. Though, maybe he and the Robin from her time were not the same after all. There were some differences, but that could be given up to the age and experience difference. In any case, it was a dangerous game to let her feelings run wild; so she squashed any thought that could lead down that dangerous path. She would not let herself succumb to her feelings.

Once they got to town, Robin made sure to lead them carefully along while checking to make sure that Elaine-who was becoming increasingly jealous of the princess-was nowhere to be found. After checking, they quickly made their way inside of their destined shop to the amusement of the elderly shopkeeper.

They browsed around separately looking for their objectives. While looking in the far corner of the store, Lucina spotted a curved piece of wood that formed a familiar shape. She picked it up and gave the string a pull. It was loose, but it looked like it could still be used.

"Lucina, I think I found–what are you doing?"

"I found an old bow and thought I would see if it was still in a usable condition," she calmly explained.

"So you're an archer too?" Robin replied with his voice somewhere between sarcasm and wonderment.

"I am not an archer per se, but–" her father had shown her some of the ways of the bow much like he had with the sword despite being much more proficient with a blade. After his death, she received a few more lessons from tutors before their situation grew even more dire, "I have had some limited training. I did not know that this shop sold weapons though."

"Aye," the elderly shopkeeper approached the two young people, "We usually don't, but I acquired that many years ago at a cheap price. To be honest, I forgot that I even had it. You want it? You can have it for two gold."

"Thank you, sir, but I'm afraid I do not have any money."

"I'll buy it then," Robin offered.

"No, I do not wish to impose."

"It's no problem," he brushed off her concern, "I've saved up some money, and can cover this. I'll have to bring by the payment later though, I hope you don't mind."

"That is fine," the elderly man accepted, "You can go ahead and take the bow though. I think it's taken up space long enough."

"Thank you," Robin proceeded to pay for his mother's wares and they two of them left with them and the bow in hand. Lucina looked at the admittedly slack bow, and then back to Robin.

"You did not have to do that."

"I know," he smiled, "But I wanted to. Besides, I'm curious to see you use it."

"I will need to fashion some arrows," she commented, "But I suppose that I could demonstrate. However, I am not as good with a bow as I am with a sword."

"Then maybe I should learn the bow too so that I have a chance to beat you at something other than tactical simulations!"

 **A/N: Time is progressing much quicker now. I will say that around the fall in this story, I have something special planned.**

 **Also, if for whatever reason you're curious, I plan to put who I've voted for on my profile (might as well). Right now it's just the first two though, and if you can't guess them, then you are clearly not paying attention. I am a bit iffy on two of them in particular though after some thought.**


	11. Encroaching Thoughts

The serenity of the forest was temporarily broken by an arrow piercing through the air. Unfortunately, its trajectory was off and it ended up hitting the wrong tree. Lucina retrieved the arrow and examined it. It was almost perfectly straight, so that was not the problem. She would have to find something to use as fletching.

However, she lacked the means to actually snare any birds, so she was reduced to hunting for any feathers that may have fallen to the ground. She had accumulated a total of fifteen when she was startled by Robin's approach.

"What are you doing?" he asked while she was scouring the ground in search of the precious feathers.

She looked up with the feathers carefully in her grasp, "I was collecting feathers to use as fletching."

"Fletching?"

"Yes, they are the feathers on the ends of arrows that are used to aid the accuracy of the projectile."

"So how many do you have?"

"Fifteen," she held them out for him to see.

"And how many arrows can you make with that?"

"Depending on the style, I can make either five or three with some left over."

"Not bad, but I'm afraid that it will have to wait," Lucina looked at him waiting for an explanation, "Mother wants to speak with you."

"What about?" Was she being forced to leave? Had she done something wrong?

"I don't know, but I can keep looking for feathers while you're gone," Robin offered in an attempt to ease her worries.

She quietly nodded while she handed him her current collection. She quickly made her way back the house and entered with no small amount uncertainty about what lay ahead. She hoped that this would not be bad news.

"You wished to see me," she greeted respectfully upon entering the house.

"Yes," she dusted off her hands, "Is Robin with you?"

"No ma'am, he is searching for fletching feathers in my stead."

"Good," she said as she took a seat at the table and indicated that Lucina should take a seat across from her which she did. "Robin's birthday is coming up, and I was hoping to surprise him. Of course, surprising him can be…difficult, and I was hoping to recruit your assistance in the matter."

So that was what this was about? A birthday surprise for Robin.

"Certainly," Lucina quickly agreed. Even if she did not feel indebted to these people, she would have wanted to do something nice for Robin anyway, "What do you require of me."

"I want to surprise him with one of his favorite desserts, but I need you to go get the supplies. Don't worry, I'll make sure that he stays busy if he comes back early. I'll need you to distract him when I make it though."

"When is his birthday?" In all of their conversations, she could not recall him mentioning it.

"His birthday is not for another two weeks, but he would expect something around then. So I decided to celebrate a little early."

She supposed that made sense. Even though he had yet to be refined by years of experience, Robin was quite smart and observant. He was so much so that she doubted if he would not figure it out anyway.

But she decided that she would at the very least try, "Very well, I shall return swiftly," Robin's mother passed on a list of ingredients, and Lucina was on her way.

With Robin's birthday approaching, she wondered if she should get him something herself. Unfortunately, Robin's mother had yet to secure her work so she was without any funds of her own. Perhaps she could try making him something. The question was: what?

She supposed that she had two weeks to think about it, but she would rather not wait too long. He deserved something nice after everything he had done for her since she came back. He had put up with her…inexperience with cultural matters, and had showed concern for her wellbeing on multiple occasions. That was not to say that no one had shown concern for her safety or wellbeing before-she was a princess after all-but he just seemed so genuine in his efforts that she just could not help but want to repay him tenfold. His surprisingly toned features and pleasant demeanor did not hurt her…appreciation either. The coat he was so famous for in the future certainly hid more than weapons.

Lucina blushed hard as she realized what she was thinking. Thoughts like those were getting more and more frequent and yet even harder to quell. If things continued at this rate…she was not sure what she would do. One thing she did know was that she could not afford to fail in her mission, and to do that, Robin was needed to defeat Plegia and then Valm to insure both her father and Ylisse's safety. If she were to change that, then nothing was guaranteed.

She did not even know why Robin left to join the military in the first place. For all she knew that had already been changed. That was one reason that she was able to rationalize staying. If it was already changed, then perhaps she could make certain that he still joined if she was here to do so. However, if worst came to worst, she may have to tell him at least part of her story to ensure his cooperation, but she was not certain how he might react and that kind of pressure may taint his results as a tactician as well as place an incredible burden on the young man.

That was still over two and a half years away though, and the answers to her problems may become more apparent as the time for action approached. In the meantime, she would just have to keep a low profile and avoid meeting any other Shepherds.

This was no time to be thinking of that, however; she had supplies to buy. They were not all that difficult to come by fortunately, and she was finished quickly. She was curious as to what was this dessert that Robin loved so much?

 **A/N: Phew, maybe I should slow down a bit. In any case, after voting for Morgan (female [obviously]), I kind of want to use her in something, but most of anything I have would be child Morgan, not teenage Morgan…oh well.**

 **Also, does this feel like a natural progression?**


	12. Surprise

This time the arrow struck true to its target much to Lucina's satisfaction. The arrows had come out nicely it would seem, and despite being rusty in the art, she was able to connect with her target most of the time.

"Not bad."

Ah yes, the other reason she was practicing with the bow on this particular day: to keep Robin out of the house while his mother-literally-cooked up his birthday surprise. To that end, she had invited Robin to try his hand at the ranged weapon as well.

"So are you ready to try?" she held out the bow in anticipation of his response.

"I guess, but I doubt if I can do much after just watching you a few times."

"I will guide you through it," she handed off the bow before going to retrieve the arrows. She was pleased to see that four out of five had at least hit the proper tree. She was no ace archer by any means, but she could hold her own.

Once she was safely-she hoped-out of the line of fire, Robin took up the bow and prepared to fire. Unfortunately, his posture was off. "Your right arm should be a little lower," he lowered it, "A little more," this time he lowered it to the proper height, "Good. Now, pull it back a little further and find your target, then release."

He did so, and the arrow flopped forward barely four feet in front of him, "Well, that was underwhelming."

"The arrow was not properly aligned with the bow. Here," she handed him another, "Try again."

His next attempt ended in much the same manner with marginal improvement. In fact, the next few were all utter failures which Lucina found strange considering how well he picked up the blade. She did not expect him to master it in a day, but she expected more than this. Perhaps even the great Robin could not master everything.

"I think we should call it a day," Robin said as he fired off his latest bolt.

Lucina up to the sky. She was not sure that it was late enough in the day for them to return just yet. Maybe she should stall a little longer, "Perhaps we could stay a bit longer. You do not have to practice if you do not want to, but maybe if you watch me some more then you will gain a better understanding of how to do it yourself."

Robin looked at her suspiciously which made her afraid that she had been made, but he did not say anything if he had figured it out, "I guess that would be fine."

Lucina continued to fire off more and more arrows while Robin watched on. They would talk some, but other times they did not need to speak as they simply enjoyed each other's company, or at least Lucina enjoyed his as she could not speak for him.

When the sun was finally over halfway through the sky, Lucina decided that it would be safe to go back. Robin casually followed her with the arrows under his arm while she had the bow. She hoped that he liked whatever it was that his mother had planned out, but if anyone would know what he liked, it would be his mother.

Robin and his mother got along so well; truth be told it reminded her of her own parents as bittersweet as that could be. How her father would humor her with little "secrets," or how her mother would read her bedtime stories. She missed them dearly, but she cherished those memories of her mother and father.

There was one thing that Robin lacked though: a father. She had heard the stories about his father; about how he forced Robin to betray her father and his friends. When Lucina first heard the story, she had a hard time fathoming how that man could see his own son as little more than a–a weapon-a tool for the destruction of all mankind. Robin never knew a father's love like she had; he did not even have the memories to fall back on.

Lucina snuck a glance at her companion. "What is it?" Robin must have caught her looking which elicited a blush from the princess.

"I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Family," was her sole reply which made Robin give her a strange glance before looking on somberly. He did not pressure her for more though since he knew what a touchy subject her family was to her.

Once at the door to their house, Robin seemingly caught a whiff of something familiar. "Is that?" he looked at Lucina who was doing her best to hide a slight smile, "It is!"

He hurried through the door where his mother waited to greet him with a cake on the table, "Happy birthday," she smiled.

"My birthday is not for another two weeks," he commented without taking his eyes off of the dessert.

"True," his mother replied, "but I knew that you would figure it out if it was any closer to your actual birthday."

"Not bad," he grinned, "So, can we eat now?"

His mother smiled happily-probably the most happily she had ever seen the woman, "Of course." They proceeded to divvy up the cake with Robin of course getting the biggest piece.

Lucina prepared to eat a piece of her slice. It had been years since she had eaten cake. She had long forgotten what it tasted like. So she delicately put the piece into her mouth and was immediately won over by the taste.

"What kind of cake is this?" she asked after she had properly swallowed-she was still a princess after all.

"It is nothing special," her mother replied, "A simple pound cake is all."

Robin barely got what was in his mouth swallowed before replying, "Don't let her modesty trick you, she makes one of the best pound cakes around."

"You haven't had any other pound cakes," she rebutted.

"Doesn't mean it's not true," he smiled as he took another bite.

"I think it tastes delicious as well," Lucina chimed in.

"Well," she grinned back at the duo, "Good to know that you both like it so much."

* * *

Robin was allowed to take a nap in his room after gorging too heavily on cake while his mother and Lucina cleaned up from the baking experience.

"Thank you for your help," his mother told her as she handed off the pan to be dried.

"I was glad to be of assistance."

"I can see that," she commented as she washed off the plates, "You have certainly been eager to pull your weight."

"I do not wish to be a burden," Lucina responded truthfully.

"Well, you are far from that, and you do seem to genuinely care about Robin."

"I do," the princess was not quite sure if there was any hidden meaning behind that statement, "In fact, I was hoping to make him something for his birthday, and was hoping that you could help me."

"Hmm, I'm not sure, but whatever you come up with, I'm sure he will like it," she smiled knowingly, but Lucina did not share her confidence. She supposed that she would just have to try anyway.

 **A/N: I'll be honest, I'm not sure how much more everyday stuff I can keep coming up with, at least at this pace, so I don't know how well a slower pace would work. If the ideas get too bland than the story itself might just become, well, boring.**

 **On a brighter note, I did come up with something that I can use time traveler Morgan on. It may not be most original idea, but it might be a decent enough story. I was thinking about doing it as a sort of intermission story between part one and two of this one, but if you would really just hate that, then I guess I could hold it off.**


	13. The Present

Twelve days. That was how long Lucina had to come up with a gift for Robin. It was a task easier said than done with her limited resources. She could not afford to buy any gifts, so she was left with one course of action: to make him something.

She had been developing her talents-even if she were still skeptical as to her actual skill-and determined that she would at least try to make him something. She just had to figure out what to actually make.

With his love of knowledge and tactics, it was hard to determine such a thing. He would read just about anything, so it was difficult to determine what his preferences were. Perhaps she could get him to give her some hints if she asked about the bookshelf in the sitting room. She would have to do that tomorrow.

* * *

Eleven days. With that time limit in mind, she made a point during their weekly tactical simulation to mention the bookshelf.

"Hmm," he looked over to the old bookshelf, "Yes, mother and I have amassed a decent collection. Why do you ask?"

She moved one of the circular pieces, "I was wondering if you had any non-tactical favorites."

"I couldn't say off the top of my head," he moved several of his own pieces.

"Oh, well, if you think of something, would you let me know?"

"Sure," he moved again and smiled triumphantly, "And with that, your commander is defeated."

* * *

Ten days. The bookshelf had yielded little in the way of results so she would have to try to come up with something another way. Perhaps she could try an animal? He did not seem particularly interested in wildlife though.

Perhaps she could peruse some of the volumes in the house for some ideas. Unfortunately, she was a rather slow reader. An illustration might prove useful though. She could always skim she supposed, but she would need to do it when Robin was not around. Fortunately, she slept in the room where they were kept. She would just have to be careful about when and where she snuck glances.

* * *

Nine days. She still had nothing much to go on. She had flipped through several of the books only stopping to read on certain occasions. So far she had yet to find any ideas worthy of putting into practice, but she would simply have to keep trying. She did not want his birthday to sneak up on her while she was empty handed.

* * *

Eight days. While flipping through a book about birds of all things, she came across a potential solution. She found a picture of a bird like her "friend" from earlier, and, as it turned out, the bird was a robin.

With little else to go on, she decided that she would once again try to reproduce this bird, and present it as his gift. She had roughly one week to finish it; she hoped that it would be enough time.

* * *

Seven days. She began her project as soon as she could find some time to herself. With some wood and a knife in hand, she set out into the forest to begin work. She could not find a robin unfortunately. So she settled for the illustration of the book.

She had the general shape of the body planned out and was preparing to go into further detail when Robin showed up. She quickly hid the in-progress sculpture and ended up going back with him all the while keeping the project hidden. She would have to continue tomorrow.

* * *

Six days. Things did not go as well. She made a grievous error in the carving of the statue which meant that it had to be discarded. She would have to be more careful in the future as she was running short on time.

She had to make sure that the next attempt succeeded, or she risked not having it ready by his birthday if she kept having to start over, and that was something that she did not want to happen. She would make sure that it was ready, but that would have to wait for the next day.

* * *

Five days. Her progress went much better. She had carved out its general shaped and had begun on the head and the beak. It would take more work, but she may have been able to pull it off yet.

* * *

Four days. Time was running short, but so was the amount of work left to do. With the head and beak taking their proper shapes, she was able to finish most of the rough work on the body. She was making fair progress given all of the interruptions from Robin. Though she found it hard to be upset at him for those.

* * *

Three days. The rough work was finished despite the legs giving her some difficulty. All that was left was to add some detail and finish up the rough edges. She just hoped that Robin liked it.

* * *

Two days. She had a bit of a scare when she thought that she may have cut a groove too deep, but she was able to doctor it so that it appeared natural enough. It was by no means passable as an actual bird, but it was in all likelihood the most detailed thing that she had ever made. She thought that was fitting.

* * *

One day. There was not much left for her to do other than to make sure that it was smoothed out well, and that she had not overlooked anything. It was finished; all that was left was to present it. She hoped that he liked it.

* * *

Today was the day. She had worked hard on the gift, and she hoped it showed. All in all, his birthday was handled as a relatively small affair since most of the young people his age he never quite hit it off with. It was just another thing that she found a bit strange, but there actually were not many around their age. It would seem that the two of them fell in an odd part of the local cycle that did not see many children.

They actually enjoyed some meat-a rare treat indeed-and they talked for a while. Well, Robin and his mother talked while Lucina remained fairly content to listen and try to calm her apprehension about her gift. It really should not have affected her the way that it did. She had given presents to her friends before-meager as they were-and she never gave this much thought to the gifts or her friend's reaction to them. She could not even remember being this concerned when giving something to her parents, but they were almost certain to at least say they loved whatever she gave them so it lessened the apprehension.

Robin was different somehow. She cared about his opinion on a level that only her parents could hope to outshine. That was potentially alarming because she knew the cause, but she refused to give in to it. Surely it was little more than a teenage fancy. Some of those stories that her mother had fed her about love and romance came to mind. She loved her mother and those stories, but now was not the time to think upon such things. Simply put, her mother was a romantic, and it seemed that some of that may have rubbed off on her. She was not immune to the lure of such flights of fantasy despite how many times she kept stopping those flights. Her mother's influence just made it all the harder to shut them down.

Still, she would show her appreciation with her gift; she might as well after all of the work that had went into it. So she excused herself from the table and went into her pseudo-bedroom and retrieved the wooden figurine.

Stepping back into the dining room she presented him with the carving, "I wanted to get you something for the occasion, but I did not have any money so I was forced to make you something. I hope you find it acceptable."

He smiled as he tenderly took it from her grasp and looked it over, "I think it's great."

That smile made her feel…strange. It had been happening with increasing frequency. She knew that it was something to be avoided, but she found herself enjoying his happiness anyway. Maybe more of her mother's romanticism rubbed off on her than she realized.

 **A/N: Particularly after reading another story, I have to wonder if I'm lacking a bit. I like to keep the characters in character, but am I restricting them by staying so rigid to their personalities? Should Robin talk more? Should they be more loose? Should there be more fluff and comedy? Please excuse me if I'm being whiny though.**

 **In other news, I have started work on the Morgan story as well, but I won't release any of it until the intermission (at least that's the plan).**

 **Edit: Apparently Lyn is beating Lucina, but she is second so I might just shove the rest of my votes to Lucina. Be sure to vote!**


	14. Rainy Day

Robin rolled over in his bed. It was time to get up for training…at least it normally would be, but the soothing sound coming from outside his window told him that they would not be practicing today. Armed with such knowledge, Robin rolled over again and went back to sleep.

* * *

He groggily woke up some time later-an hour, maybe two; he honestly was not too sure. He looked over to his dresser where one of his newest possessions lay: the robin. It was simple and, honestly, he did not even like birds that much, but the fact that Lucina had put so much effort into it made it a treasured possession indeed. He knew that in all likelihood it meant nothing, but it was still a welcome thing.

He finally rolled out of bed and slipped into a new shirt and pants. He put on his boots and checked to make sure that he had everything. Gloves. He could not afford to forget those. Even when it was incredibly hot outside, he had to wear gloves.

He walked out of his room as he slid on his left glove and went down for breakfast. Lucina had-unsurprisingly-been up for quite a while it seemed. How someone could be so alert in the morning seemed almost inhuman. His mother managed, but even she was not that awake early in the morning.

Also unsurprisingly, Lucina had volunteered to help with breakfast. Robin was not surprised since that was her nature, and that it had become something of a rainy day routine for them.

Rain-or at least heavy rain like they had on this particular occasion-meant that no work could be done outside as they were confined to the indoors. Once the house was clean, his mother did not really care what they did, so Robin would often drug Lucina into more tactical simulations, or the three of them would sometimes just go to the sitting room and read whatever caught their fancy. Today was one of the latter days.

Robin finished reading through the basic tactical manual for, well, he was not sure how many times he had read that book through. He looked over to where his mother was casually reading through a book on the history of the region. Meanwhile, Lucina was enthralled in one of the few works of fiction that they had in the house.

He read the cover from where he sat; it was an old romance novel _._ He honestly did not take her for the romantic type, yet she seemed very enthralled in the story.

It just added another layer of mystery to her. Like why she was in such bad condition when he found her? Why she was so withdrawn to most people, or why she was so good with a blade? Why was she so…proper? The only person he knew that came close was his mother-which gave some form of hint to her mostly unknown past-but Lucina was a step above. She acted almost like royalty might act.

Then there was her eye. She tried to lead with her right eye, but he noticed it nonetheless. He never mentioned it since she was clearly trying to hide it, but he could not help but feel that he had seen it somewhere before. In any case, he respected her privacy in that manner more so than any other factor about her past since he himself had something he would rather she did not see.

He was still curious-obviously-but he cared more about _her_ now than he did the mystery. He thought she was attractive-incredibly so if he were honest-but he wondered if it was becoming more than that.

It was a moot point he supposed. She did not seem to be interested in a relationship at the moment. Her motives were a mystery, but whatever she was doing here, dating him was not part of it.

He was brought out of his reverie by the loud booming of thunder. It was coming quite the downpour outside. It would probably be the last "big" rain of the year. Soon it would be harvest time, and then they would be into the freezing winter. Well, given how southward they were, it was not so bad during the winter.

The more pressing matter at hand though, was the harvest festival. It was a yearly event that Elaine without fail asked him to every year. If he did go, he would make sure to remind her that it was not actually a date. Not that she listened, but he told her anyway. This year, he wondered if he might take Lucina.

Maybe if he avoided the word "date" he could convince her. He knew it would not really be a date, but he would take it over nothing. Of course, he was not putting a lot of faith in his ability to romance her, but simple time with her was welcome.

* * *

The day was a quiet one right up until the end. After bidding both his mother and Lucina a good night, he marched up the stairs and to his room. He slid off his gloves and tossed them on his bedside table before slipping out of his boots.

The festival would not be for a while so that gave him time to work up the nerve to ask her. He just needed to remember that it was not a date; no matter how much he wanted it to be one.

 **A/N: This may not seem like much, but I have set some stuff up here. Thank you to those who gave some advice; hopefully I can use it to improve.**

 **As for the voting, I think I may just give the rest of my votes for Lucina since she is close, but still trailing behind Lyn. Also, if you're a Lucina fan (or Awakening fan in general) you may want to stay away from any Fire Emblem forums. It's not exactly an Awakening friendly environment. There were some defenders though.**


	15. The Glove

The day after the rain, Robin and Lucina had to check for serious storm damage. There were stray limbs and debris around the property, but nothing looked seriously damaged fortunately. They spent the first part of the day simply cleaning away the debris though since it was so high in quantity. It was tedious work, but by no means hard.

By noon, they had the yard and garden looking good and clear once again sans some leaves and twigs that were too small to fuss over. After they were done for the day, Robin asked if he could try his hand at archery again. He had made several attempts, but he was slow in his progress. An archer he was not it would seem.

Of course, the route to their usual archery spot was also covered in debris and mud. The mud got quite deep in several places, so they had to be careful where they stepped. Lucina had little trouble navigating the landscape with her impressive agility, but Robin was struggling a bit more. So it was not too surprising when Lucina heard the sound of Robin splatting into a deep puddle of mud.

"Great," he muttered as he pulled himself free of the particularly messy puddle. He pulled on his entirely submerged right hand, and with one powerful tug, he was able to pull it out. Meanwhile, Lucina could not help but grin at the spectacle, at least after she was certain that he was okay.

"Good to see that someone's amused," he wiped himself down to little effect. Despite his words though, he was smiling slightly too. Lucina surveyed him, and came to the conclusion that his mother would not be happy. Then she saw it, and her smile disappeared.

"What's wrong?" he took note of her expression as she looked exceptionally pale. He then followed her gaze and then he knew what was wrong. He had pulled his hand free, but the glove had stayed in the mud leaving that… _thing_ open to view.

He quickly covered it up, "I, uh, think we should call off our session for today," and without another word he left Lucina alone in the forest. His departure pulled her back to her senses as she prepared to follow him, but she stopped at the mud puddle. Crouching down, she picked the glove out of the puddle-with some force as it apparently had snagged on a root. With the glove in hand, she made her way back to the house.

She went to the house, but he was nowhere to be found. She racked her brain for where else he may have gone when she remembered his little clearing. Deciding that that was her best bet, she made her way once again through the muddy forest.

Sure enough, he was sitting in the clearing seemingly unconcerned about his already muddy clothes. She walked up beside him, but he never said anything so she took it a step further and sat down beside him where they both sat in an awkward silence as they looked off into the woods.

"I found your glove," she handed him the mud covered glove which he quickly slid on despite its condition, and then they just sat. Lucina was not sure how long they sat there until Robin finally spoke.

"All my life, my mother has told me keep this hidden. She told me to never let anyone see it, but she never told me why or what it meant," he still refused to make eye contact, "So when I was older and I found a book on symbols in Mr. Dillard's store, I decided to see if I could find it, and I did. I wish I hadn't, but I did. It turns out that it is the brand of…" he really did not want to say it.

"Grima," Lucina finished for him causing him to finally look at her.

"So you know," there was a sadness in his eyes when he said that which struck at her heart.

"Yes," what few humans remained allied with Grima had that symbol adorning almost everything they wore. It was hard not to know.

"I don't even know what it means. Sometimes I wonder if it means that I'm some kind of monster."

"No," Lucina replied almost instinctively, "You are no monster."

"How would you know?"

She looked at him carefully. Never before had she seen him so…vulnerable. His confidence and curiosity were all but gone, and in their stead was sorrow and self-loathing. She knew what he did in her time, but she knows that it was not his fault. The brand caught her off guard for a moment-she truly regretted her reaction-but in the end it was not all too surprising.

"Because, you are not. You are Robin," he scoffed a little at that, "Sorry, I am not very good at this, but you cannot let some brand define who you are."

"So you…don't hate me?"

She was actually taken aback by the very question, "Of course not. As I said, you are more than a brand; you are my friend."

He finally cheered up a bit, "Thanks, and sorry for pushing all of that on you."

She smiled, "It is fine. I am available if you want to talk." Afterwards they stayed in the clearing while Robin reigned in his emotions and Lucina stayed for support. She was happy to be able to help him in any way she could, and by helping him with this, she might just be helping to be able to change his fate-the fate of the world by extension.

The fate of the world was important-the most important thing in fact-but she was deeply invested in making sure that Robin came out of this okay as well. She had essentially removed the idea that she may have to use more drastic means from her mind. Now she was totally dedicated to saving Robin in addition to the world, and she was determined that she would succeed on both fronts.

 **A/N: Well, hopefully this succeeded at building up a little character.**

 **Also, (time for campaigning!) they released the top twenty of each gender in the polls. Personally, I'm glad to see male Robin ahead of female Robin. Though I do loathe the third and fourth female contestants. I still plan to continue voting solely for Lucina since she seems to have a much better chance of winning over Robin. Hopefully the fan-service characters won't win (even though I hear a certain youtuber might end up pushing at least one of them).**

 **Also, I have made more progress on the Morgan story. Though I also remembered another idea for Morgan that I find intresting, and that is her remembering only Lucina and taking after her more. Unfortunately, the story that comes to mind (no, I don't remember its name) I don't think was finished. This is not what my Morgan story will be, but maybe I can use that later.**


	16. Royalty?

Robin and Lucina had made it through the brand ordeal in relatively good shape. Actually, the mud seemed to be more problematic than the brand. They had scrambled to try and clean his clothes of the mud, but they were unable to completely clean them before his mother got home. She was not happy.

After quickly spouting out a hasty explanation and profuse apologies-especially Lucina even though it was not even her fault-she eventually relented and told them the proper way to clean the clothes. Of course, her help ended there as she made them do it themselves.

They managed to get through the whole ordeal without telling her about Robin losing his glove. Robin had particularly warned against telling his mother since he imagined that she would not take it very well seeing as she was so adamant about him keeping it covered.

With the reveal of his brand, Robin felt even closer with Lucina which led to both a greater desire to ask her to the festival and a greater fear of rejection. The old adage that the worst she could say was "no" did not exactly make him feel reassured. It may not seem that bad, but to his teenage mind, it would be agonizing.

So he bid his time. He decided to try and use his tactical prowess to figure out a solution, but-as he was coming to discover-tactics could only do so much when it came to matters of the heart.

The festival was fast approaching, and he needed to act soon, but he had yet to build up the courage to do so. He even started to question if he even deserved a date with her. She was so proper and even regal while he was nothing special. He was just a local village boy with no prestige. Granted, she did not seem high on prestige either, but she carried herself like someone who did. In fact, she probably did not even realize that she did sometimes she was so proper.

In any case, he decided to try. He psyched himself up that morning. He would do it; no matter the outcome, he would at least be able to say that he tried. He breathed deep and got dressed; he even checked his hair to make sure that it was at the very least passable. Satisfied, he walked down the stairs careful not to let himself talk himself out of it.

She was waiting for him outside which was nothing out of the ordinary, but his personal mission made it somewhat stress inducing. He was especially aware of the lighting and everything that just seemed to contribute to her beauty. Maybe he should wait until after their training. So wait he did.

"Are you alright?" she asked after a few sessions, "You appear distracted again. Is there something you would like to discuss?"

He froze. This was his chance. He just had to remember not to call it a date.

"Um, actually, there is something; if you don't mind."

"Of course not," she responded kindly as she waited for him to continue.

"Well," he breathed deep; he was usually better with his words than this, "You see, there is this harvest festival that the village has every year, and I was wondering if you wanted to see it."

"A harvest festival?" she seemed curious which was a good sign, "What does it entail?"

"Well, there is usually some music; it's done by locals so it isn't exactly that great though. There's food, and some of the merchants like to show off some wares. It's nothing too extravagant. You don't have to go if you don't want to."

"No, it sounds lovely. I would very much like to attend."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Robin was breathing easy as the worst was behind him. In reality, he should have known that it would not have been hard to get her to go to a festival, but he had clearly overblown things in his own mind.

While it was not a date, he still thought that he might want to look into getting her something for the occasion. So he managed to sneak off to town alone and look over the various wares that the merchants sold. He contemplated getting her some jewelry, but he thought that may have been going a little too far for their first not-a-date. Deciding that he did not want to come off as desperate and creepy, he chose not to get her anything. At least not yet.

On his way back to his house, he passed by Mr. Dillard's bookstore, and then an idea hit him. Going inside, he gave a brief greeting to Mr. Dillard and went to a lesser used section of the store and started looking until he found what he was looking for.

He pulled the dusty book from the pile careful not to disturb the balance too much while doing so. When he told the story about him looking up his own brand, he remembered where he had seen Lucina's; it was in the same book.

He hesitated with his hand over the cover. She clearly did not want him to know, but the answers were potentially right in front of him. It felt almost like a betrayal of trust, but she did not have to know; it was not like he was forcing her to tell him or anything.

His curiosity finally got the best of him and he started to flip through the pages. It just so happened that it was on the page opposite of his. He eagerly began to read through the entry:

 _The mark of the Naga is a symbol typically associated with the Divine Dragon Tribe-namely Naga herself. It is used in a variety of situations that relate to Naga and the tribe in general, but perhaps its most interesting appearance is in the form of the brand of the Exalt. Members of the Exalted bloodline usually manifest this brand somewhere upon their body early in life with the location varying from person to person. Interestingly, the brand only extends two generations from the main royal line. Most believe this to be so that there are not several families that all possess the brand, and, therefore, a claim to the throne of Ylisse. To this day, none have yet been able to replicate the effect._

Robin numbly closed the book as he let the information sink in. The…brand of the Exalt…but that meant that Lucina was…royalty?

 **A/N: I had the brand extend two generations since Owain apparently has one, but I also made it stop since if it didn't then there would probably be a good amount of people with them…unless they killed them all off. I don't see Chrom or Emmeryn doing that, but their dad might have. Still, it could potentially cause problems.**

 **So, as some have expressed a desire to get this moving along, after the festival I will probably speed things up. Though I warn you, some of you may not like the route I'm going for part two.**

 **Don't forget to vote! (Annoyed yet?)**

 **Oh, and to the person who didn't know, the poll is the ballot for the mobile game in which I am trying to help counter the people who want Lyn to win just so Lucina doesn't. Yes, apparently people are both campaigning for and giving Lyn their remaining votes just so Lucina isn't first.**


	17. Exalted Heritage

Robin numbly set the book down unsure of what to make of this latest revelation. Royalty? And Ylissean royalty to boot. He supposed that explained her bearing, but it opened so many other questions. Was she an illegitimate child? That might explain why she had been in such rough shape if she were trying to escape someone afraid that she posed a danger to their rule.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Mr. Dillard asked kindly.

"Yes, sir," then he thought of something else, "Do you happen to have anything on the Exalted family?"

Mr. Dillard thought for a moment, "I believe I do. Wait here for just a moment." He walked off into the back for several minutes and came back with a fairly thick volume in his hand. He passed it off to the youth who took a look at the title: _The Exalted Bloodline: Myth and History._

"Do you mind if I borrow this?"

"Sure. I never did get you a birthday present after all."

"Thank you."

Robin hurried home before anyone got suspicious. Before anyone could say anything, he hid the book in his room for the time being; he did not want Lucina to get suspicious that he knew about her brand.

He did his best to act normally for the rest of the day, but every time he spoke to Lucina, his mind kept going over the fact that she was royalty. He also made sure not to stare at her eye, but he was not entirely sure of his success. He decided to turn in almost as soon as he could without raising to much suspicion.

So he settled down in a chair next to a window in his room and cracked open the book. While it would not lend much information on Lucina-he doubted how much he would learn about her from the later entries though-he started at the beginning. Most of it was genealogies, but some received a bit more information.

The Exalted line was apparently a very long one, but it was not always known as the Exalted line. The furthest back they seemed to be able to trace their family was to an ancient hero named Anri though his existence and exploits are hard to prove.

The next notable figure in their line was a name that Robin had actually heard before: Marth. The ancient king led his forces against the shadow dragon after reclaiming his homeland.

After Marth, not much happened within the next few centuries. That was until around 1050 years prior when something-historians were not certain what exactly-happened that led to the destruction of Archanea and its neighbors leading to a period known as the Great Schism.

Records from that period were scarce, but it is known that someone who traced their bloodline to the Archanean royal family emerged and founded Ylisse after the conflict with the fell dragon, but little is known of this conflict or the dragon's part in it.

The book ended some fifty years prior to present day so it gave him nothing to work with regarding Lucina, but now he at least had a greater understanding of the Exalted bloodline. It did not make him feel any better though.

Knowing the full extent of her lineage just made the gap between him and her all the more prevalent. Whatever her reason for being here, she was from a very prestigious family even if illegitimate. He did find a sliver of hope in the fact that she did not seem to care about her rank or lineage. In fact, she treated them-as her hosts-incredibly well.

It was no use going over this now. It was late, and he was tired. He would just have to sleep on it and hope that he was able to figure things out.

* * *

The next day began with the same routine that he had come into since her arrival. She had really become an integral part of his day these past few months. From their early morning sword practice to their chores which she took a little too seriously in his opinion. Then there were their trips to town. She had a childlike enthusiasm when it came to shopping. She tried to hide it certainly, but as she started to drop her guard a little, it became increasingly apparent. She had become more well-adjusted lately, but she still had a way of enjoying things that, honestly, he never really gave much thought to.

She made life…enjoyable. That is not to say that his life was bad before, but her almost childlike exuberance for the mundane helped him to appreciate his own life. Not to mention that it could be downright adorable at times. The contrast in this behavior could be somewhat striking when compared to her usual stoic and serious persona, but the combination of the two produced something that was uniquely her.

Sword training went as usual with her easily besting him; he had yet to land a single blow, but he was also hesitant about actually hitting her; not that it would change much if he did not hesitate. He had made good progress, or that was what she told him at least. However, he was still some good ways off from her skill level.

After they were finished, Robin was ready to go back inside when Lucina spoke up, "This festival you mentioned, when is it?"

"Huh," he thought back, and he had forgotten to even tell her when it was, "Oh, it's two weeks from tomorrow."

"I see. I was hoping that you might tell me more about it."

Robin hesitated since he was afraid that she might be unimpressed by it seeing as she was royalty, but he could not refuse those eyes for long. So he told her what he knew from past experiences, and somehow she seemed incredibly interested. It should not have surprised him really, but the fact that she was apparently looking forward to the festival made him smile.

It also made him realize that, whatever her reason for being here, she was here and he still cared deeply for her. He would deal with her lineage when and if it came up, but he would not let it get in between them. After all, if she did not care about his standing, then why should he?"

 **A/N: Okay, so as I have been told, Owain's kid apparently has a brand too, but then I looked into it and it can go even further. So I've elected to make a modification to the lore since the writers did not seem to think having a hereditary brand through (plus, I don't like _that_ game. Why would you put your children in an incubator dimension for one!). Most if not all of the nobility would probably have it, and it may even spread to the common people. I might be willing to extend it to three generations though since that seems to be the norm for determining if someone is "related" to cousins or not. Essentially fourth cousins and beyond don't have it anymore. **

**Anyway! That is not too important to the plot.**

 **I actually think there is potential for a game that follows the first Exalt. It could help explain Grima's origins, and maybe even plug some plot holes from the Archanean games to Awakening (which some longtime fans seem to really hate). However, to write that story would require a lot of OCs to keep in with the games, so do not expect me to do it, at least not on my own.**


	18. Anxiety

With most of his internal melodrama about brands out of the way, life went on as usual. Was it exciting? Not really, but it was enjoyable. Robin had managed to put his trepidation about Lucina's family behind him-for the most part-and instead focused on his trepidation about taking her to the festival.

Said festival was now only two days away. She was looking forward to it with an almost childlike enthusiasm while he was looking forward to it with a mixture anticipation and anxiety. The logical and tactical side of his mind told him that there really was not much to worry about since it was not a date, but the love-struck teenager side of his mind was telling him that he could not afford to mess it up.

Lucina, to no real surprise, still seemed blissfully unaware of his feelings towards her; that, or she was pretending not to for the sake of his feelings, but given her utter ineptitude at reading other people, he was inclined to believe the former.

Whether or not his mother had figured out his fledgling crush or not was a bit harder to determine. She seemed to keep an ever watchful and somewhat concerned eye over the two, and she would occasionally give him an almost knowing and amused smile whenever he had a hard time getting his words out around Lucina. However, she had yet to say anything if she did know. He guessed that she did have her suspicions though.

As the fated day got closer and Robin could think of no ways to actually impress her without looking at the best strange and at the worst creepy, he finally resigned himself to whatever happened. It was probably for the best anyway. He figured that he probably should not get his hopes up after all.

* * *

Lucina brandished her newest practice blade-she had lost count as to how many she had made-as she prepared for the morning's training. Despite Robin settling into an early schedule, she still got up before him to do her own exercises. She still trained with Falchion at times, but she did not want to draw too much attention to it.

She typically used that alone time to think. Her thoughts had become much less painful the longer she spent in the past and away from the ruin of her own time. She still carried the mental scars of her past, but the pain was fading somewhat as time went on.

However, her thoughts also had a way of betraying her as of late as well. She was starting to feel downright silly at times when Robin's simple actions made her want to smile and blush like a child.

Fortunately, she did not think that he knew. Though he had been acting strange every now and then, but he never said anything. Of course the possibility still existed that he was just trying to spare her feelings. Really, she was still atrocious at trying to determine what people were feeling despite her slight improvement at reading Robin so she could not be sure either way.

Then there was whether or not Robin's mother knew. Lucina was already bad at reading people, so someone as introverted as his mother was a complete mystery to her. Lucina was not sure how she would react to her feelings for her son, and she was not eager to find out and potentially provoke her hostess.

Then there was this festival. She was eager to go as it seemed like a more…modest version of the grand balls that her mother read about when she was a child. Not to mention the chance to get to experience such a happy occasion was an opportunity that she did not want to miss.

Of course Lucina could not help but think about going with Robin. She was unsure of many courting procedures, and most if not all of her knowledge came from those stories that her mother had read to her. Part of her wanted to think that he was actually interested in her, but the rest of her knew that it would only cause problems. They were from separate times and she had a mission, but…was this really her Robin? Could she really not complete her mission if they somehow ended up together?

Even if she did, she had absolutely no idea how to proceed with a romantic relationship. No, it would only be a distraction, and if they did get "together" only to later break apart then it would only cause problems when it came time to act in order to save the world.

She was very conflicted, and she just wished that her mother was there so that she could ask her what she should do. Her father was a great leader and warrior, but in these types of matters, her mother reigned supreme.

With the festival tomorrow though, she would just have to keep up her appearance and hope for the best.

 **A/N: It's short, I know, but, hey, I've been updating daily for a while now. However, I may not update as quickly next time.**


	19. The Festival

Robin woke up and started to groggily get ready for practice as he did every morning. He was about halfway finished when he realized that there was no practice today. They had decided to call it off since Robin thought that today should be a holiday of sorts for them due to the festival.

Realizing that he had the morning off, he plopped back down onto his bed as he started to determine what he had to do. He had done his chores yesterday, so he was good on that front. He also had a few hours before he had to get up. He was fortunately too tired to be nervous about the festival so he took advantage of his time off and caught up on his sleep.

* * *

The next thing he remembered was the sound of his mother calling him for breakfast. He quickly finished dressing and joined the others. Lucina was fully awake of course, and she seemed even more awake than usual while Robin was still in the process of waking up. He was looking forward to today, but that still did not mean that he was a morning person. He was fine if he woke up on his own, but if ever woken up by someone else, then he took a bit longer to fully regain consciousness.

"So how long do you think you will be?" his mother asked as he finally started to regain full awareness.

"That's really up to Lucina," Robin deferred.

"Oh, well, how long does it last?"

"Several hours," Robin replied, "Most of the people head home around dark though."

"I do not want to keep you too long."

"Nonsense, I'll be more than happy to stay as long as you like. Why do you think I cleared the day's schedule?"

"In that case, I would like to see all that it has to offer."

"Then you two will need to leave around lunch," his mother commented after finishing her breakfast. So they killed some time with a quick strategy simulation. Robin won of course, but Lucina seemed to enjoy it anyway.

His mother saw them off when it was time to go. She even passed them both a small pouch that Lucina almost dropped when she saw what it was.

"I cannot accept this," she tried to give back the pouch of coins.

"I think you've earned it," the matriarch replied with a smile, "Besides, I can't have you running my son poor, now can I?"

"Why would I make him poor?"

The older woman sighed, "Just go have fun, and stay safe."

"Don't worry, mother," Robin replied confidently, "How much safer could I be than with Lucina? Shall we be going?" he asked the princess.

"Yes," she agreed as she reluctantly accepted the money and they soon found themselves amongst several stalls full of local wares which Lucina wasted no time in scavenging through. Robin liked that she was letting loose for a bit, and simply followed where she led.

"How does it look?" Robin's attention was taken off of a nearby stand to see Lucina in a slightly fuzzy knitted hat. It was very…fluffy.

"It looks warm."

"Of course! It will be really useful during the winter," she excitedly proclaimed. That was right; she was going to need some winter wear, but he thought that it might be best to hold off for now since she might find something she liked better later.

"Maybe we should hold off on that for now. You should wait and see if there is something you like more."

"Oh, that makes sense," she removed the hat which left her usually pristine hair looking a little disheveled, but it somehow still looked good to him…yes, he was smitten. So they continued to look through the various knick-knacks on display. There were even a few wooden sculptures.

"Look at this one," Robin held up a sculpture of a bird.

"It looks nice," Lucina admired it.

"Still not as good as the robin though."

Lucina looked at him as if he had lost his mind, "This is much better done than that one. Just look at the detail in the feathers."

"It may be technically better, but I like the robin because you made it for me."

She looked away in what he could only surmise was embarrassment leaving Robin to hope that he had not overstepped his bounds. She did not seem offended though, as she continued to admire some of the other sculptures.

As she did so, Robin looked around at some nearby tables when something that caught his eye. It looked like one would not be able to see out of it very well, but it provided decent enough visibility when he tried it on. It was certainly of impressive craftsmanship, but he was not really one for masks. Plus, it was kind of small for him.

"Robin?" he quickly rounded while still wearing the mask, "I did not know that you fancied masks."

"Uh," he took it off, "I don't, but I was curious as to how someone was supposed to see through these slits."

"May I?" he answered her outstretched hand by passing her the mask. She put it on and addressed Robin once again, "Well, does it hide my face well?"

"Yes," unfortunately-that part he did not dare speak out loud.

"Then I will take it," she declared as she removed it, although she was suddenly devoid of enthusiasm.

"Huh? Why?"

"I may have need of it in the future," she replied cryptically. Then he remembered: the brand. The mask's design allowed her to still see while still keeping her eyes hidden. It was not ideal, but if she really needed to keep her eye hidden, then it was better than covering it completely.

"How much for the mask?" Robin asked the vendor.

"Robin?"

"If you want it, then I'll get it for you."

"But your mother gave me money. I can get it."

"Yes, but I want you to buy something you want, not something you need," plus he wanted to feel like he was able to do some small part in keeping her safe if he could. However, she still looked hesitant, "I promise, it's fine. I want to."

So she reluctantly allowed him to continue. Robin then paid the merchant while she looked it over as if it represented something totally different than the rest of the event. Robin did not know what she saw when she looked into the mask's eye slits, but he knew that whatever it was, he wanted to help her with it…somehow.

Hiding the mask away in a satchel-Robin made sure that they had something to carry whatever Lucina inevitably bought in-she rounded on her feet with a somewhat forced smile as she continued to look around the festival. They even got to sample some unique foods along the way. Robin was particularly fond of a type of fried chicken that they found while Lucina seemed unable to pick a favorite.

Of course there was one major obstacle to the day: Elaine. She was incredibly unhappy when Robin turned her down for the evening, and she did not look very pleased to see him walking around with Lucina either. Needless to say, the duo avoided her whenever they could whether it be weaving through crowds or hiding between buildings. Even dodging her was somewhat entertaining though.

Robin was thinking that the evening was a success. They had a good time, even if it was not as romantic as he may have wished, she was happy, and that was what he wanted. She was happier in general as of late, but she had a tendency to carry something around. Again, he was not sure what exactly, but it certainly weighed heavy on her.

He was about ready to call it a day, but he did not want to push her. Though they had slowed down. She seemed content, and almost ready to leave maybe. However, it seemed that the musicians had another idea as they took to the stage made just for this event. Lucina was quickly mesmerized by the fast beats of the music.

"This is very energetic," she observed as she watched while men and women started to pair off for energetic dancing with only the slightest hint of any formality. For the longest time, Lucina just looked on the spectacle with wonder.

"Have you ever danced before?" she asked him all of the sudden.

"Huh, oh no, I've never danced a day in my life. You?"

"A little, when I was young. This reminds me of then, but it was a bit more formal." He saw the longing look in her eyes, and he internally sighed knowing that he might very well regret his next course of action. Excusing himself momentarily, he made his way up to the band during their break and struck a deal with them.

When they got back up on stage, they were playing a much slower song. Lucina was puzzled by the change in pace when Robin approached, "Did you do this?"

"Yeah," he added uncomfortably while hoping that he did not blush, "I thought that you might like something a little more…formal." He awkwardly outstretched his hand.

"I thought you didn't dance?"

"I don't, but I'm willing to look ridiculous if you don't mind."

"It would be lovely," she smiled as she took his hand. He really had no idea what he was doing, but, then again, neither did most of the people there. She tried to help him through it, but he was doing good just to avoid her feet. His nerves were not abated by the unusually close contact either, but the music eventually came to an end leading to a duality of relief and disappointment to the youth.

"Well, how was I?" Robin asked yet received no response. Lucina looked a little flushed and he was worried that she may have not been feeling well, "Lucina? Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry," she suddenly came back to reality, "But I think we should go now."

That was sudden, "Alright."

She did not say a word the entire way home, and he was getting worried that he had done something wrong. Why else would she shift in behavior so rapidly? Maybe he was too forward? Whatever the case, he was afraid that he had lost his chances with her forever.

 **A/N: If you think this is cliché, then you should see the original path this story was going to take.**

 **Alright, a few things. First, do you want a fast forward to near the beginning of the game. I can do it (not right after this of course) if you think there has been enough fluff, or I can continue to build their relationship some more. I have at least one more chapter, so you should have a few days to think it over.**

 **The second thing is about the Morgan story. I want to play her off of some of the other (older) Shepherds some, and I was wondering who you might want to see her interact with outside of the basics.**

 **Well, voting is closed, and now we wait.**


	20. Liability or Strength?

Things had not been the same since the festival. Lucina realized there that she was teetering on the edge of something that she could not come back from, so she recoiled. Now Robin was not his usual self either as the two awkwardly danced around each other, and they now were barely able to look each other in the eye. Yes, they carried about their business as best they could, but there was something between them which was eating the princess up inside.

It seemed that their plight did not go unnoticed either. After lunch a few days after the festival, Robin's mother sent him on an errand which he had been doing alone as of late, but this time the matriarch wanted to talk with Lucina.

"So, I take you two have been having some issues." Lucina hoped she was not angry as she meekly nodded to the affirmative. "I see," she seemed to weigh her next words carefully, "Do you mind if I ask you a question? Don't worry, it isn't about your past."

"Alright, what do you wish to know?"

"Do you have a crush on my son?"

Lucina almost immediately set off into a blush; she really did not beat around the bush, "I-I, uh," Lucina did not know how to respond to that.

"I'll take that as a yes then," she smiled slightly.

"So, are you angry?"

"I'll admit that it isn't what I had in mind when I agreed to let you stay here, but I can see that you are a good young woman. I also believe that you care about him just like he cares about you."

What did she say? Did she know something she did not? It was possible. Still, Lucina said nothing, so Robin's mother moved on to her next point, "Which begs the question: why are you two acting so at odds with each other?"

Lucina hesitated, but she had to say something. Perhaps she could leave out some of the more…sensitive details, "Because I have certain responsibilities that are much bigger than I, and I cannot risk having my judgement compromised."

"So you are afraid to get too close," it was not a question.

"…yes."

"Well, I cannot speak as to what this responsibility you bear is, but I can say that I've seen how you two are around each other. I don't know how deep your feelings go, but I know that there is something special between you."

"I-I do not know…."

"I cannot force you to do anything about your feelings, but if you don't do anything, then you may regret it for the rest of your days."

Lucina thought on Robin's mother's words. Her mind went back to one of her more bitter memories. Right back to before her parents left for the Dragon's Table.

 _"Mommy," the little Lucina hugged her dear mother, "Why do you have to go too?"_

 _"Because," she looked down sweetly at her daughter, "Your father needs me."_

 _"But he is really strong."_

 _"Yes, he is," she stroked her hair, "But we are much stronger together than we ever could be apart. Some might say that having me there is a weakness, but we know better. We know that our love makes us stronger, not weaker."_

 _Lucina held back a sniffle, "Really?"_

 _"Yes, dear. You may not fully understand yet, but one day you will. When you meet your charming prince, you will realize that you are stronger together."_

 _"I love you, mommy!" she squeezed even tighter, but her mother did not seem to mind as she gently hugged her back._

 _"I love you, too."_

Her parents had always claimed that they were stronger together. She had thought that they meant that they were literally stronger as a team than when fighting separately-which was probably true-but as her feeling for Robin made her determined to save both him and the future, she believed that she finally knew what her mother was referring to.

They gave each other a reason to fight-a much more personal reason. They fought to keep each other safe, and that desire led them to fighting harder than they ever would have alone. That principle may carry over to friendship as well, but the bonds of friendship-while strong-paled in comparison to stronger bonds of love such as her parents'.

Robin was not a liability. Yes, there were risks involved, but it was worth it. She had doubts if their bonds could ever become those forged by a love like her parents shared, but she was willing to try and see if her feelings were truly that strong at the very least. She just hoped that it was not too late.

* * *

The next morning when Robin came for practice, Lucina did not draw her blade. She breathed deep. She was about to do something that she could not take back. If what his mother said was true, then she had nothing to fear, but she was nervous nonetheless.

"I feel that I owe you an apology for the other day," she started quickly not giving him time to reply, "I should not have acted so coldly, and for that I am sorry. The reason I was so distant all of the sudden was that I was…afraid."

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

"Of getting too close," once again she refused to give herself time to think about what she was saying, "I have…feelings for you, Robin, and I was afraid that if I were to get too close that it would compromise me or produce a liability. However," she breathed deep, "I no longer think that. You must think me mad rambling like this."

"No!" he quickly responded, "Of course not. I have feelings for you too."

So he did return her feelings after all, "That is wonderful, but, um, what do we do now?"

"Well, I guess we can start by becoming a couple. If that's okay with you."

She wanted little more at the moment, "I think it is a splendid idea."

It was done; she had made her choice. For better or for worse, her life was now on a new path.

 **A/N: Well, at least that's out of the way. So here's the plan, four or five (depending on how I cut the last one or two) more chapters in part one with two for fluff, and the rest for plot.**

 **Also, I really did not want this to look super rushed, but, in reality, they probably do not actually spend that much time together in game. Granted they are older, but they're also getting married whereas here they are just dating.**


	21. A Couple

"What about this?" Lucina held up a decorative vase. Robin thought that it was a little flamboyant with its colors, but it was not that bad; she could have picked much worse. They were currently in the midst of looking for a birthday present for his mother, but she was not exactly an easy person to shop for on account of the fact that she rarely asked for anything, let alone a gift.

It had been almost a year since Lucina had arrived, and Robin and Lucina had been together for several months now. They had been taking it one step at a time. They were closer now than ever, but it was still too soon for Robin to be sure that she was the "one."

Lucina herself seemed happier too. She was more relaxed and even a bit more confident in herself and her abilities outside of combat. She had worked through the winter a little at a few shops and had saved up some coin for herself as well. She also seemed less tense around his mother which made him glad. In a way, she had already become a part of the family.

He still did not know what this mission of hers was, but he did not push her. He wanted her to let him help bear her burden, but there was little that he could do about that for the time being. She was making progress, and that was all he could really ask for; she would tell him when and if she was ready.

"I think it's nice. Really it's about as good as I think we're going to get."

Lucina sighed, "I really wish that she would just tell us what she wanted."

"That's just how she is," Robin shrugged, "I've never once heard her ask for a gift or something for her own comfort. I guess that just comes with the territory of being a parent."

"So it would seem."

* * *

"Well, it is certainly colorful," the matriarch commented as she set the colorful pottery on the table along with the white flowers they had added to the vase before gifting it.

"So do you like it?" Lucina asked unsurely.

"Yes," she smiled, "It's fine. Thank you both. Lucina, would you mind fetching some water for these?"

"Certainly," she gracefully left the mother and son alone.

"I could have gotten the water."

"I know, but I wanted to talk to you about Lucina's birthday."

It was not easy, but he did eventually manage to get that much out of her. It turned out that it was close to his mother's which meant that he was running short on time. They were planning a small celebration for the event.

"Have you got her a present yet?"

"No, not yet. I need to find something just right."

"Well, don't spend so much time looking for the perfect gift that you forget to get her anything at all."

"I won't."

* * *

Robin darted past the unsuspecting villagers on his way home as he was running short on time. No, he had not forgotten Lucina's birthday. However, the gift-which he had to special order by the way-was late coming in requiring him to pick it up on her actual birthday as opposed to a week prior when it was supposed to be in, but if he hurried, then he could still make it before cake.

Robin rushed through the door to his house and took a moment to catch his breath. When he finally looked up, he saw Lucina giving him a strange look while his mother smiled to herself clearly amused.

"Happy birthday," he breathed out as he plopped the brown roll on the table. Normally he probably would have been a bit more gentle when presenting her gift, but he was simply too winded at the moment; maybe he should not have sprinted the whole way there.

Lucina eyed Robin one last time before tenderly unrolling the brown leather to reveal several pouches each with a unique tool. "Thank you, but, um, what is it?"

"It's a carving set. I thought that you could use some professional tools to go with your skill."

"You flatter me. I only hope that I can live up to your expectations."

"You've already exceeded them."

* * *

After gorging on cake-one of Robin's favorite parts about birthdays-Robin and Lucina sat in the back yard looking up at the twilight sky. They held hands which still made Lucina blush, not that he was much better. No matter how long they stayed together, they still got nervous around each other occasionally, and while some may consider that a bad sign as to the future of their relationship, he took it to mean that they were not getting tired of each other.

He was not entirely sure what couples were supposed to do, but neither was she so it kind of balanced out. They just kind of made it up as they went. He certainly felt that she had opened up to him more since they became an item, and he was happy for that. Just as he was happy to simply have the privilege of being near her and the radiance that her smiles seemed to emanate. He was also glad that he could freely think things like that now.

He may be in the dark about many things when it came to Lucina, but he thought that he was starting to understand one thing. Perhaps he was still too young, but he imagined he was still right. Even if he was though, he would like to make sure before he did anything rash, but he was still fairly confident in one thing: he was truly in love.

 **A/N: To clarify, the plot of the game will mostly be in part two which is three or four chapters away. Also, seeing as I lack friends who play Fire Emblem (one of them** _ **might**_ **play it since it's free) I have put my ID on my profile if you need another "friend." Also, I kid you not, my first pull was a five-star male Robin. What are the odds? Especially considering I got another one later. Still no Lucina though. Oh, but if you want to friend me (name is Arthur by the way) make sure I know who you are if your name is different.**


	22. Two Years

Two years. It had been two long, and yet quite enjoyable years since Lucina had ended up in the village of Arton. For two years she had been integrating slowly but surely into this new and sometimes strange world of the past.

In that time, she had been fortunate to experience happiness the likes of which she had long restricted in her mind to mere flights of fantasy. Robin had been of the utmost help to her, and even his mother had become something of a second mother to her as well.

However, her future was fast approaching. It would be a little over a year before the events that led to the end of the world began to unfold, and she needed to be ready. She had thought over the events that would lead the world down its dark path, and she believed that she may have found a way to stop them. Still, there was another problem: Robin.

She had to find a way to convince him to leave Arton so that he could join the Shepherds. She feared that her secrecy's days were numbered, and that she would have to tell him why he needed to do that. Whether or not he believed her story…well, she would just have to hope that he did. If all else failed, then her brand may prove useful as proof of her claims.

Then there was the question of "them." What would they do when their job was done and the world was saved? Honestly, she was not quite sure what she _wanted_ to do, let alone what they _should_ do. She truely loved him, of that she was almost certain, but she was not sure if she were ready for that commitment or, perhaps more to the point, that responsibility. She knew next to nothing about being a wife or raising a family. She had been fumbling around just to try to be a good girlfriend.

Even assuming that she was ready for that when the time came as well as Robin, where would they go? She did not want to cause problems for her parents when people inevitably started asking questions about her brand. Could they come back to Arton? She supposed that was a possibility, but she still had an uneasy feeling about the fate of the village.

The future Robin never mentioned Arton or his mother which led her to believe that something terrible had happened; she just did not know what it was. Her aunt had told her of Plegian raiders disguised as bandits plaguing the countryside before the war, but they were some ways from the border. She had kept her ears to the ground as it were, but she had yet to heard of any attacks anywhere close to Arton.

She had half a mind to tell Robin's mother to leave with them, but she would probably have a hard time being convincing without evidence. Perhaps if the attacks started to get closer, than Robin's mother-as well as the other townsfolk-would be more inclined to believe her, but as things stood, Lucina would just have to wait and see.

* * *

Lucina was not very good when it came to emotions. So when it came to doing couple activities, she found herself in a strange position. For the longest time she could not receive so much as a compliment from Robin without blushing.

She was getting better, but she still acted like a child around him sometimes. At least, that is what it felt like to her. Always blushing and stammering-it was embarrassing! She was supposed to be more dignified than this, but no matter how much she told herself that, she secretly enjoyed the attention that he gave her. He was really sweet when he wanted to be.

Case in point, he had just picked her a bouquet of flowers-daisies as she had come to find out. There was no special occasion or anything, he just decided to surprise her. It was small things like that which made her day. It was amazing how such seemingly small actions could make her dark memories fade away even if just for a short time.

She may never quite get a handle on this relationship business, but she sincerely hoped to keep trying so long as Robin was willing to put up with her failings. Because, for all the awkwardness and embarrassment, she was truly happy for the first time in a very long time.

 **A/N: Okay, this is pretty short, but it does have a plot element or two. Next chapter starts the beginning of the end of part one. After that, I will move to the Morgan story for an intermission before continuing.**

 **Oh, and my new profile picture is a screen shot from the Robin summon video. I also have one for young Tiki and Marth. Sadly, still no Lucina.**


	23. The Mission

Robin played with the small object in his pocket on his way home. He slid his fingers over the smooth metallic surface. It had cost him a decent price-all of the money from his eighteenth birthday had went toward it-but it was worth it.

He had banished the last of his doubts about his feelings, and had come to one undeniable conclusion: he was well and truly in love. Now, he was about to cement those feelings, or at least take the first step. The object in his pocket was key to that.

He wanted to take it out and admire it, but he dared not take it out lest he accidently drop it. It was nothing extravagant; just a simple golden band. He approximated her ring size when he offered to tend to her gloves so it should fit well, but it could always be resized if it did not fit properly.

He was a little concerned that her "mission" would pose a problem, but he was confident that she felt the same way that he did. They could work anything else out if they had to.

"Robin," she spoke first as he approached the homestead. Something was off; she looked really serious, "I need to speak with you, in private."

That did not sound good, but he followed her nonetheless all the while fondling the precious object. When they had reached his clearing, she finally spoke, "Robin, it is time that I told you who I am, and why I am here."

Robin was somewhat shocked at that revelation so he simply nodded for her to go ahead, "This will be hard to believe, but," she took a deep breath, "I am from the future."

"The…future?" Robin mulled that over in his mind before reacting any further. That…could explain the brand at least.

"Yes, I realize that may be hard to believe, but if you require proof, then you may take my brand. It is a sign of being a member of house Ylisse. It is impossible to fake."

"I know."

Lucina looked a little shocked before realizing that she probably should not have been. "I should have known that you would figure that out. So, do you believe me?"

"It is a lot to take in, I admit, but I don't think that you would lie to me about something so ludicrous. So, why did you come back?"

So she began her tale of events that led to the Fell Dragon's return. Of the wars and the struggles. Of her parents and of…him. He was apparently supposed to help Ylisse in the coming conflicts, but she refused to tell him exactly what he was supposed to do.

"So you want me to go and join your father's band of…Shepherds?"

"Yes," she nodded, "I will be unable to accompany you unfortunately. I do not want to raise unneeded questions about my brand. I will provide you with help whenever you need it."

Robin did not answer immediately which prompted Lucina to speak again, "I realize that I am asking a lot of you, but I assure you that it is of the utmost importance."

"Did you stay here just so that I would fulfil my role to play in these events?" Robin finally asked afraid of what her answer might be. Was it all an act, a lie?

"Partially, at the start," she admitted, "Part of it was because I had nowhere to go, but after a while, I had another reason to stay: you. I promise you that my feelings are genuine."

He looked into her cerulean eyes. He saw desperation that he would believe her, but he also saw sincerity. He knew her well enough to know that she meant every word.

"Alright, I'll do it. For you, and the world."

"Thank you," she sighed, "Once this is over and catastrophe has been averted, then maybe we can live our lives in happiness, but in the meantime, we must press on."

"Yeah," he released the ring in his pocket. Now did not seem like the best time. Maybe he could ask later when the time seemed more appropriate.

* * *

"You're going to what?"

Obviously, his mother was none too happy to hear that he would be leaving to join the military soon. Honestly, he had his own trepidations about the whole thing. Lucina refused to tell him what he was supposed to do, but the fact that she put so much importance on his going seemed to indicate that he had a lot on his shoulders as well.

"Mother, this is something that I have to do."

She sighed, "When will you be leaving?"

"Within the week. We have a schedule to keep, and we have to leave by then if we are to make it in time."

"Wait here," she said after an uncomfortable silence, "I have something for you."

She disappeared up the stairs leaving Robin and Lucina to share a concerned glance. His mother was seemingly devoid of emotion almost like she was in shock. Neither of them wanted to hurt her, but this was, apparently, necessary.

After what seemed like hours, his mother came back down the stairs with a brown bundle. She set it on the table and unfolded it. She handed him an old bronze sword followed by a yellow tome.

"I took these when I fled with you as a child. They're not the strongest weapons around, but they will do. I had hoped that you would never have to use them…"

Robin could not take it any longer and pulled her into a hug, "It will be okay, mom."

"I know," she pulled away before grabbing the bundling which turned out to be a cloak, "I also took this. I was in a hurry so it turns out that I grabbed a men's coat. It is warm yet it also breaths surprisingly well. It will be good for the cold nights. Not to mention the fact that it has a lot of pockets. You may want to see about hiding those markings though."

He pulled it on, and he could almost swear that he heard Lucina's breath hitch, "Well, how do I look?"

"Like a tactician," Lucina responded.

* * *

The day that they had to leave came all too quickly. He found himself waiting for Lucina with his mother in the main room. He was carrying the satchel that contained their supplies. He shifted the bag on his shoulder.

Lucina was taking her time with her armor. She had planned ahead and sent it to be resized-it had been years since she last wore it after all. When she finally came down the stairs, he was taken aback by such a familiar yet strange sight. The garb was that of the young woman who they had taken in those years ago, but the woman wearing them was the same woman that he had come to know and love. It was a strange mesh of old and new.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"You take care of each other," his mother was understandably sad, but she was holding up well.

"Of course," Lucina gave a slight bow, "And thank you for your hospitality."

"Goodbye, mom," Robin gave her one last hug before they set out for the first day of the rest of their lives.

* * *

Meanwhile, off on a hill not far outside of town, two rough looking men eyed the village.

"What do ya think?"

"I think the boss will be pleased. We should get ba–gah!"

The other man looked back to see a cloaked figure with a hand going through his comrade's chest before pulling out and discarding…something. He almost yelled out, but the figure grabbed into his throat before ripping back.

The figure cast the flesh aside without so much as a glance. With a purple flame, the blood was burned off of the figure's arm. The figure did not even bother to look though as the cloaked figure started walking toward Arton finally releasing a sinister smirk.

 **A/N: Has anyone really figured out a point to friends? I got like four feathers today, but that's about it. I'm still taking requests, but I was wondering if there was more of a point to it. Maybe they'll add something later. Like I can hope that they readjust orb opportunities. Those prices are really not worth buying.**


	24. Vengeance

It was not easy watching them leave. Robin was her baby boy whom she risked everything to save. She had watched him grow into a fine young man that she was proud to call her son, and was glad to find that he was nothing like his snake of a father. Still, she could not help but worry about him going to become a tactician.

She was always afraid that his love of tactics would lead him down that path. He was truly gifted in the field though; his powers of observation would serve him well on an actual battlefield as well, but the mother in her could not help but worry about her only son.

Part of her wanted to blame Lucina for her son leaving, but she knew that that was not fair. She may have encouraged him to hone his skills, but he was already good at what he did and he may have gone on his own one day without her. Especially if the problems with Plegia ended up escalating to the degree which she feared that they might. They would need a good tactician if that were the case if the rumors she had heard about the new Exalt disarming Ylisse were true.

Robin was not the only one she was sad to see go, however; she had actually grown quite fond of her house guest, and she had even come to think of her as a daughter of sorts. Granted, she did not know much about having a daughter, so she may have faltered here and there, but she tried to do right by the girl.

Still, dwelling on her missing children would not bring them back any faster. So she busied herself with work. She was actually on her way back home from working a long shift at the shop. At least she should have a good amount saved up for when they returned.

She had barely got in the front door when she heard, "Hello, mother dearest."

Finding the source of the sound as quickly as she could, she almost dropped her satchel of groceries upon the sight that awaited her. It looked like…Robin sitting at the table, but something was different. He looked…older, and not quite well; he was awfully pale. Despite his smile, she could see the animosity behind those eyes.

"Who are you?" she asked defensively.

"I'm wounded," he put his hand over his heart, "You don't recognize your dear old boy?"

"You're not my son," she glared at the intruder, "You're someone…some _thing_ different."

The intruder stared at her for a moment before letting out a chilling laugh, "No, I suppose that you of all people would see through my guise. It doesn't help that this body is a bit more aged than the one you're used to."

"Body?" the way he said that was off.

"Yes, you see, this is Robin, but he was from another time. A time where he succumbed to the Fell Dragon's power. _My_ power."

"You! You're Grima!"

"Indeed," he-it chuckled darkly, "I am from a time where I ruled all, and none of it would have been possible without your darling little boy!"

"No!"

"Yes, how does it feel to know that all of your trouble, was for naught? Robin still fell, and I began my reign. I would still be there too, if it were not for that pesky princess coming back here to try and stop this Grima from succeeding. Little did she know that I followed her back."

Princess? Could he mean…?

"Now she has provided me with the means to ensure this world's destruction. However, there seems to be one small snag. The trip back has…weakened me a bit, and I appear to be cut off from my own power back in my world on account of having to leave my real body behind. So I was hoping to find this world's Robin to…regain my lost power. Finding the princess would have been a nice bonus as well, but I have had no luck finding either of them. Granted, I've only been here for a day or so, but I was thinking that you could help me there."

"You want me to betray my own son so that you can destroy the world?"

"I didn't think that you would agree," it smiled predatorily as it rose to its feet and channeled dark flames into its open palm, "But I can be quite…persuasive."

"Do what you want! You won't win, not this time."

"Don't you realize? I've already won once, and I'll do it again. You cannot stop fate. I will make this world crumble just like I did to my own, and there is nothing that you can do to stop me."

"You're insane."

"No," he approached menacingly, "I am much, much worse."

* * *

The Fell Dragon pulled back it's stolen hand and snarled at the writhing woman on the floor, "Why won't you break!?"

She groaned as looked up defiantly at the dragon in human form, "Because, I have someone who's counting on me, and that's something that you just don't understand."

"You know, your son spouted out nonsense a lot like that before I forced him to kill his friends. I made him watch as the life drained from their eyes. _That_ is what your precious bonds amounted to. A large pile of nothing."

"You're wrong," she wheezed, "This time, things will be different, and you will fail."

"Grah!" the imposter yelled before slamming more dark magic into her, but she still wheezed and made and effort to get up. "Why won't you die!?

"Why…do you…care so much?"

"Because you dared to defy me. You tried to deny me what was rightfully mine! That is something that I will not let go."

Much to the surprise of the dragon, she started to laugh, "I would do it again. You may kill me, but Robin will survive. You will fail."

"We'll see about," the imposter then finally finished her off in a torrent of dark flame. Snarling, the dragon decided to take out some stress on this nothing of a village. It was not supposed to survive anyway.

 **A/N:** **Also, I am more than open to discussing Heroes, but I think it best to keep those conversations to PMs (plus I can actually respond that way). I know, I know, I goaded you into talking about it, but the reviews seemed to get off track. I also never actually received some of those requests that some of you said that you were sending. Maybe you put the code in wrong?**


	25. The Beginning of the Rest

After several days of walking, Robin and Lucina were finally getting close to Southtown which, according to the princess, was close to where he was supposed to meet her father. For the time being, they had decided to make camp for the night. They were due to arrive early tomorrow morning at their current pace.

Sitting around the fire, Robin was rummaging through their pack until he came across the tome that his mother had given him. The yellow binding looked somewhat worn, but that should not matter.

"Where did you learn magic?" Lucina asked as she stoked the fire.

"I read up on it," he looked up from the cover, "It's hard to actually practice it outright without using up tomes so I've never actually performed it."

"Are you sure it is wise to carry it into battle without testing it first?"

"I'll be relying on my sword should I need to fight. The tome is an emergency measure. What about you? Did you ever attempt magic?"

"I did not have a talent for it," was all she said before changing the subject, "I believe it is time to eat."

"Alright," Robin rummaged through the bag again pulling out some bread, "Eat up."

"Robin?"

"Yes," he replied after swallowing the dry bread.

"Why did you bring this?" she held up the wooden robin that he had removed from the bag while looking for the provisions.

"Because, it reminds me of you, and if we're going to be separated a lot in the coming months or even years, I want a memento."

"I see," she looked somberly into the fire, "I wish there was another way, but–"

"I know, and I understand. I'll still miss you though."

"Well, we may be able to meet up secretly at some point. After you have earned their trust."

"Maybe," Robin looked to change topics when he noticed something else in the bag, "Of course, maybe I should be concerned by all of this gauze that you brought," he picked up the roll of white material, "You're not planning to do anything reckless, are you?"

For some reason her face seemed to go red, or maybe it was the fire, "Actually, it is binding tape."

"Binding tape? What are you binding?"

She looked even redder; definitely blushing, but why? "I cannot take any risk that my father will ever realize the truth of who I am, so should I ever have to meet him directly, then I will disguise as much about myself as possible…including my gender."

"Your…gender?" he slowly became aware of what the roll was for as he began to blush himself, "So, uh, do you have a name picked out for this…disguise?"

"Marth," she replied, "I always drew strength from the stories of his bravery, and the people had even nicknamed me such in the future."

Robin raised his brow, "You went by Marth?"

"To the public. It was more symbolic than anything. I even had my armor tailored after the ancient descriptions of his garb. It made me feel…stronger. As if I were tapping into a small portion of the Hero-King's power. So it seemed to be the logical conclusion for my disguise."

"I suppose. I think you might be taking it a little far, but that is your prerogative," he honestly doubted that she could pass herself off as a man just by tying up her hair-he hoped that she did not plan to cut it, he really liked her hair-and…"binding" herself, but what did he know?

"Perhaps, but I would rather err on the side of caution," she stood up, "I'll be back."

"Where are you–" he stopped himself short while blushing and nodding her off. He did not need a repeat of _that_ conversation. So he bided his time poking the fire with a stick before moving to fondling the ring in his pocket.

They were about to go an undetermined amount of time with very limited contact; this was probably not the right time, but it might also be his last opportunity for some time.

"It's about time I found you."

Robin quickly stood to his feet and pulled out his sword only to be greeted by a figure coming in from the shadows, laughing.

"Your little toy can't hurt me," the figure stepped into the light of the fire to reveal a familiar face.

"Who?"

The other man smiled. Something was wrong with that smile, "I'm here to off you a chance to rule the world. Join me, and you will know power unlike anything you have ever imagined."

Robin recoiled from the sinister figure, "Who or what are you?"

The eerie man looked more annoyed than anything, "I am the Fell Dragon," the dragon said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "And I hail from the future to ensure your destiny."

"My destiny?"

"Yes, you are destined to allow the me of this world to return from slumber."

"No."

"No?" Grima laughed, "You actually think that you have a choice in the matter? I'll just have to break you of that notion I suppose." The next thing Robin knew, he felt an intense pain in his head as he collapsed to the ground.

* * *

"Ugh," Robin pulled himself to his feet. Taking a look around, he saw that he was in a black void with Grima smirking at him.

"If you will not submit, then I will break you," Robin toppled over as pain wracked his entire body while the dragon's flame shrouded him. He could feel himself fading as he laid prone against the abyss. Try as he might, he could not move, he was unable to break Grima's hold.

He almost gave up when his thoughts turned to her; her nightmare was coming true. He was not sure why Grima needed him, but he refused to go out so easily. Gritting his teeth, he looked up defiantly at the Fell Dragon who snarled upon seeing his show of defiance. All the while, the abyss started to crack allowing a black miasma to seep through and start pushing Robin away.

"It appears that you are not yet strong enough," the dragon commented in an almost bored manner as it was apparently unfazed by the torrent of miasma that Robin was struggling not to be carried away by. At least the flames had stopped though, "Shame, the long way it is then."

Robin could feel himself being dragged away by the flood with the only thing drawing his attention being a familiar battle cry.

* * *

Grima quickly put up the stolen hand and grabbed Falchion as it came down without so much as a glance. The dragon glared the princess down as it pushed her and her blade back, "So, you were here too? Well, might as well get something done today. Time to rid myself of–"

Grima was cut off by a ball of lighting striking the back of its stolen body, Grima looked back and roared, "You dare!?" Robin weakly dropped his hand from where he had crawled over and grabbed the tome from the bag. Grima was unharmed, but Robin's attack gave Lucina an opening.

Taking advantage of the opening, Lucing plunged Falchion right into its heart-assuming it still even had one. She followed up with an overhead slice up through the shoulder in what would have certainly been a fatal blow for any normal foe.

However, Grima was no normal foe. The Fell Dragon recoiled back and shot the princess an intense glare as it clutched the should of its stolen body.

"Bah! That cursed blade!" Grima started to fade into dark energy, "If I had not been so weakened, then this would have ended much differently. This is not over yet!" and then the dragon was gone.

Lucina was breathing heavily as she took in all that had happened, but she could not dwell on it for long as Robin took up her attention. She quickly bent down to check on him. He was breathing which was a relief, but he would not wake up. Unsure what to do, she put his sword and tome back in place and quickly prepared to leave their camp in fear that the Fell Dragon would return.

She supported him the whole time as she half supported and half carried him throughout the night until she reached a field by early morning where she finally set Robin down and nearly collapsed next to him. He was still breathing, but he had only awoken once during the night trek; in that brief moment her heart nearly shattered though.

When he awoke, he could not remember where he was or even who he was. He was not awake for long and seemingly delirious, but his memory was apparently entirely gone which meant that he had forgotten her. She was hoping that it was just a momentary lapse due to trauma and grogginess, but she was terrified that it was not the case.

Regardless, she needed to tend to him, but she lacked one vital resource.

Water. They both needed water, but she had used the last of the water the night before and was in too much of a hurry to refill their canteens. There was a small creek nearby that she remembered passing over, but she did not want to leave him there alone. She could still keep an eye on him for most of the short trip to the stream though.

Hesitantly, she relented and headed off for the creek while keeping a careful eye on Robin and his surroundings. She refilled their canteens as quickly as she could and hurried back to Robin.

However, when she arrived, she heard voices, very familiar voices. Judging from the sound, they were just over the rise, and she would not be able to get Robin out in time. She quickly had to decide what she would do, but she hesitated and in that moment of hesitation, her decision was made for her as her aunt came over the hill and into view.

Lucina quickly pressed herself against a tree. She heard all that transpired. From her father offering Robin a hand, to the confirmation of Robin's amnesia. Frederick, of course, did not trust him, but her father and aunt backed him. Soon they were headed to Southtown to work out just who Robin was.

As they left, Lucina fought back the tears. The combination of hearing her father's voice again-albeit much younger-and knowing that Robin was lost to her was almost too much for her to bear.

She looked down into the satchel and saw the mask starring back at her. No, she could not cry-not yet. She must press on. Even if Robin could not remember her, she would keep on remembering him, and she would still save him.

Grima would pay. That cursed dragon would feel her pain; she would see to it personally. She somberly dawned the mask; she could mourn later for now she had a job to do.

 **A/N: Well, that's part one. On to the intermission! You know, assuming I don't go into depression over RNG deciding to hate me. I am still taunted by friends who keep managing to get her (joking aside, it is pretty disheartening to know that my odds go way down after the special event).**

 **RNG problems aside, I should start up the Morgan story shortly. Oh, and shout out to Matt Cyr for finding that story where Morgan remembered Lucina and not Robin. The story's name is _Chisel_. Fine work if memory serves. Shame it was never finished. I feel like I'm forgetting something...oh well.**


	26. Life Without History

Lucina had not slept in almost twenty-four hours, but she was determined to make sure that Robin was safe before she left on her own. She had followed them to Southtown where they faced off against a group of brigands. She was tempted to join the fray-especially when Robin threw himself into combat-but she restrained herself.

As hard as it was for her to accept, she would have to move on. Her hopes and his plans had been squashed in the course of one night by the Fell Dragon. She clenched her fists in anger at the mere thought of that monster. If there was one good thing to come from all of this, it was that her determination to slay that foul dragon burned even stronger.

She was not stupid though; she knew that she did not possess the means to accomplish that goal as she was now. However, with the knowledge she possessed, she could attempt to stop Grima's return in this time, and then she could focus her efforts on the Grima from her own. At least, that was the plan.

Despite the risk of being spotted, she allowed herself one last glance at the man that she had gotten to know these past few years; the man that no longer knew himself. She allowed herself one last selfish moment of longing over her lost love before turning back down the alley. She had work to do.

* * *

Robin plopped himself down on the cold ground. Frederick had refused to leave him at camp unattended, so he had ended up dragged along on their little hunting expedition where they found a bear of all things.

He may have been lacking in memories, but he was pretty confident that eating bear was not considered normal. Still, it may have been one of the more normal parts of his day. From waking up in a field with no memories to helping this band of "shepherds" clear a town of bandits, it had certainly been eventful.

After routing the ruffians, they had asked around to see if anyone recognized him, but it was to no avail. With no idea who he was or where he was from, he accepted Chrom's offer to become their group's tactician though the fact that they needed a tactician further demonstrated that they were clearly not ordinary shepherds…plus he had yet to see any form of livestock being herded by these people.

After dinner, he checked around in his pockets for any possessions he may have been carrying with him. Unfortunately, he seemed to pack light despite the overabundance of pockets on that thing. As everyone was preparing to lie down and sleep, Robin felt something in the depths of the coat. After some searching, he finally found the pocket that led to the object and pulled it out.

It was a…ring. It clearly would not fit him so it was not his, and yet it looked eerily familiar, though he could not put his finger on why. Did he leave behind a beloved? If so, where was she; who was she? Perhaps it was a memento from his mother. He scoured the ring for any sort of engraving, but it appeared to be a simple golden band.

 _Well this was just wonderful,_ Robin plopped back onto the dirt. Not only did he have no memory, but the only clue to his past just left more questions. Robin slipped the ring back into his pocket. Maybe it would come to him tomorrow.

* * *

So it turned out that he was traveling with royalty. They were surprisingly informal for royalty, but what did he know? The answer to that was apparently tactics. As he looked through some manuals from the barracks, he seemed to know most of it already. In fact, at times he could almost predict what they would say so it seemed that he had definitely studied this.

Which was all the better as he had found himself in charge of the safety of some rather eccentric fighters. Life just seemed to be carrying him in a whirlpool of events as he was now on his way to Regna Ferox-a neighboring country apparently.

At least all of this activity served to distract him from his disturbing lack of memories. He was confident that these people were not bad people, so he thought that he owed them his assistance in any case. They were certainly trusting enough for the most part, and they welcomed him fairly warmly. If he could not locate his home, then he could see himself settling in with this group…if he could get over just how strange they all were.

* * *

Regna Ferox had an interesting method of rule. Chrom had eagerly agreed to fight for the East Khan in the upcoming tournament. Politics aside, Robin was tasked with coming up with their attack strategy for the competition.

To that end, he was scouting out the arena. There really was not much to see though; it was pretty basic as far as combat went even if the structure itself was a marvel of engineering. He was taken aback by just how large the arena was. It really showed just how important combat was to these people, but it also showed an ingenuity and intelligence that may have not been readily apparent at first glance.

Ideally though, he wanted to get a look at the enemy team. If he could see what they were up against, then he would have a much better chance at developing a sufficient plan. Unfortunately, it seemed that the other team had finished training for the day. It seemed that he would have to adapt a more basic strategy on the spot. Hopefully he could manage. What is the worst they could throw at them?

 **A/N: It's back! I had some issues determining how different this chapter should be. I plan to cut through the first part of the game fairly quickly, only focusing in on changes to the plot. The intermission period is where I have some more different plans.**


	27. Facing the Shepherds

Lucina prepared herself for what she was about to do. She was about to come face to face with her father and his Shepherds which meant facing Robin as well. Of course, she was not here to simply spar against them. No, she was here to save the life of the western champion, Lon'qu, who would perish in a fight to come due to injuries sustained in the tournament. It was an accident-Lon'qu refused to back down-but it was one that she had intended to rectify.

So far, she was on track to do just that. She had ousted Lon'qu as Basilio's champion, and so long as she fought in the tournament, he would not fall; not due to injuries from this tournament at least.

She was confident that she could hold her own, and would therefore be unlikely to sustain any similar injuries. The problem was not her combat abilities, but rather her need to face down not only both of her parents but Robin as well.

Oddly enough, she may have been more nervous about facing him then her own parents, but she steeled herself regardless. She would perform her duty, no matter how uncomfortable it was.

* * *

As uncomfortable as her disguise was, the mask did at least block out some of the crowd from view to help her focus on the task at hand. It also hid her lingering gaze on the tactician. Seeing her father and mother again was certainly a surreal experience, but she could not help but feel her attention drawn to the tactician.

Her plan was to stay away from him during the battle, but she may not be able to help it. She stoically drew her blade much to the astonishment of her father. True to his impulsive nature, he charged her after seeing her Falchion.

Lucina was able to hold him off with ease. He was still young-inexperienced-which meant that he was no match for her as she was now. She held back, but she still repelled him quickly, forcing him to regroup with the others.

She fell back while the troops provided to her by Basilio met the Shepherds in combat. She analyzed them as they fought. They were all far from the legends that they would become, but they showed promise.

Still, her focus stuck to three people more than the others. It was good to see her parents alive and well again, but the fact that they did not know her and she could not tell them was heart retching.

However, Robin took up most of her attention. Seeing him again was perhaps even more agonizing given their recent history and her…feelings for him. Every time he engaged the enemy up close, she felt a deep concern for his wellbeing. Fortunately, she had trained him well, and he had friends to look out for him which did provide some level of comfort.

Soon, she found herself once again facing her father; her mask hiding any doubts she may have had. He tried his best to defeat her, but she remained one step ahead. She knew that she needed to throw the fight, but she also needed to make it believable to save face for her father. To that end, she kept the contest close; never gaining too much of an advantage.

Her father was not alone though, as she soon found herself jumping out of the way of a ball of electricity. Almost as soon as she landed, she was beset by another sword wielder, but it was not her father.

She found herself face to face with her friend, but she saw no recognition in those eyes as they locked blades. Granted, she was in disguise, but a part of her had held onto a slight hope that he might recognize her. Alas, the last of her hopes that he might remember her were dashed in that moment, and in that single, decisive moment, she faltered.

That was when she was knocked flat by the tactician and forced to yield. It was all so fast that she had not completely realized what had happened when she was knocked down. The crowd erupted into cheers as she dusted herself off. She used the commotion to cover her departure so that she would not have to answer any uncomfortable questions.

Once she was safely out of the city, she finally took pause and leaned against a nearby tree out of the sight of any guards patrolling the perimeter. She quickly removed that irksome mask and let out a sharp sigh as she thought back to the battle.

She had lost her nerve. It was clear that Robin still held a large sway over her even. Part of her knew that she needed to get over him, but another part of her refused to let him go. She simply could not forget the three years they had spent together, nor could she stop her feelings. So she decided that she would not try. She would work in spite of them, but she would always remember their time and hold it dear, even if he never could.

 **A/N: Healing staves are kind of inconsistent. Lucina mentioned that Chrom was injured in Emmeryn's assassination and that those wounds stayed with him, but it's never really stated why they couldn't just heal it. I've come up with the arbitrary rule that extensive muscle and ligament damage can't be properly healed by staves to account for that.**


	28. Unmasked

The Shepherds were in a good mood on the journey back to Ylisse. Robin had received a particularly large amount of attention for defeating that Marth character, and his mood had steadily increased as he adjusted to the Shepherds.

From Lissa's pranks to Miriel's incessant research, he was starting to get a feel for their quirks. He was becoming one of them. It felt right-it felt like home.

In an effort to contribute even more to these people he had found himself with, he had started training with some of the others. He was trying to learn as much as he could, and to that end he was currently sparring with Chrom.

"Not bad," Chrom wiped the sweat from his brow, "You must have received some sort of formal training somewhere."

"So it would seem," Robin had come to the same conclusion himself, but he liked the confirmation from someone who knew what they were talking about.

"I wonder where you received it though. A few of your techniques seem a little familiar. I admit that I had the same feeling when fighting Marth. Perhaps you trained under the same teacher. It's a bit divergent, but there is some traditional Ylissean style in both of your styles. Perhaps a retired royal guard taught you."

"Perhaps, but if Marth knew me, then why not say anything?"

"Well, maybe you aren't exactly on friendly terms," Chrom put his training sword back onto its rack, "Or maybe you don't know each other. I'm sure there's more than one retired guard who could teach both of you."

Robin supposed that it was possible. Still, it would be hard to track down such a lead.

"Don't worry too much about it," Chrom reassured, "Once we get back to Ylisstol and things settle down, maybe you can see about looking into your past."

"Maybe…"

* * *

Or maybe not. It seemed that things would not be slowing down for some time. When they arrived back in the capitol, they were greeted by news of a Plegian attack on Ylissean soil, and even of a hostage situation.

It had been close, but they had managed to rescue both Maribelle and Ricken without any casualties on their part. Unfortunately, they now faced an impending war with Plegia. It did not look like he was going to get much personal time in the foreseeable future.

If what Chrom had just finished telling him was any indication, there was no shortage of hard feelings between the two countries which meant that a peaceful solution looked unlikely despite Emmeryn's best efforts. War was coming.

After Chrom finished talking about how he would essentially be the offense that his sister could not be, they were greeted by Marth. Apparently, Marth had knowledge of the castle that was not easy to come by which only served to make Chrom more suspicious. When Marth went on about seeing the future, it certainly did not help Chrom to believe the stranger.

However, it seemed that Marth had anticipated such a response, and offered proof by drawing steel. An odd approach to say the least, though it seemed that Robin and Chrom were not the target of the familiar blade.

As predicted, an assassin charged from the shrubbery after his cover was blown, but Marth quickly dispatched the assassin. Needless to say, that act gave Marth a lot of newfound credibility, but before they had time to listen to the stranger's words, another assassin came from the shadows.

Marth moved out of the way, if just barely, while Chrom finished off the second assassin. Chrom checked to make sure that there were no more lingering assailants, but Robin's attention was focused elsewhere.

Apparently, Marth had failed to move out of the way quite fast enough, and her-yes, _her_ -mask had been cut off allowing her hair to flow free as well as revealing that she was in fact, a woman. Robin almost subconsciously noticed that she had a nice face, but he felt something else upon seeing her face though he was unable to place what it was.

During his distraction, the other two had already started for Emmeryn's room forcing him to trail behind them once he realized that they were leaving him behind. Upon arrival, he began to deliver orders to the guards and Shepherds as they arrived. He did make sure that someone was around to keep an eye on Marth at all times, just to be safe.

They repelled the invaders after a hard fought battle, and even picked up an ally or two as odd as that may have been. Unfortunately, Marth slipped out again before anyone noticed. He was pretty certain that Chrom pursued her, but he did not follow her himself even if he wanted to.

It was odd. He was almost certain that he did not remember her, but _something_ about her seemed familiar. Perhaps Chrom was right and they did know each other, but if that was the case, why did she not say anything? Were they enemies? He failed to notice any contempt in her eyes-though she did seem to avoid direct eye contact with anyone. Granted, she may simply be good at hiding her emotions, or maybe he just was not _that_ good at reading people, plus, he was somewhat distracted.

Just what secrets did she hold?

* * *

Lucina got out of the castle quickly. It seems that her cover was destined to be short-lived. Perhaps she should have listened to Robin and spared herself the discomfort in the first place, but it had at the very least helped to keep her left eye concealed.

Robin, did he recognize her without the mask? He seemed to be watching her intently, but she was not sure what he was thinking. It was hard seeing him again when he did not recognize her, but it was also nice nonetheless. Perhaps now that her disguise had been exposed, she could try and…no, she should not allow herself to think like that. If he did not remember her, then she should not make him feel obligated to her with stories of what once was and could have been.

Now she had to determine her next move. She hoped that her actions tonight might be enough to offset her future, but she would be keeping an eye on things just to make sure. And then there was the matter of the Grima that followed her back in time. She still needed a way to end that Grima. Revenge against that Grima had become all the more personal for her, and she fully intended to see it through.

 **A/N: Here I started with something I hope to use more later down the line: if Robin does not have his memories, then telling him might goad him into trying to force a relationship for Lucina's sake. In the meantime though, I will keep fast forwarding through the first part of the game.**


	29. The Beginning of Peace

It seemed that the Shepherds were simply destined for disaster. Soon after they evacuated the capital, they were betrayed to the Plegians and forced to fight their way out. They were almost out flanked too, but a pegasus knight-Cordelia-had brought them warning.

Tired from her journey, she almost fell shortly after giving said warning, but Robin barely managed to fight his way to her side and save her from an enemy wyvern rider. After that, he ordered her to stay close since she was in no shape to fight on her own.

They were soon able to fight off their attackers, but Emmeryn insisted on going back to Ylisstol anyway. Honestly, Robin thought it a tactical error, but it was not his place to question a monarch, so he kept quiet.

Upon arrival in Regna Ferox, they received news of Emmeryn's capture and imminent execution. In the heat of the moment, Robin had promised that he would devise a plan to save her, but now he was starting to regret that decision as the burden was keeping him up at night. Still, he would fight through it, and he would do his best to make sure they succeeded.

After fighting their way through the desert, they finally came upon the Plegian castle. To start, things were looking good, but then they made it to the courtyard and everything fell apart.

It was one disaster after another that culminated in Emmeryn falling to her death and their disgraced retreat back to Regna Ferox. No one hardly talked on the way, and to make matters worse, they ran into resistance. Reluctant resistance no less.

Robin hated every minute of that battle. He tried to show mercy when he could, but having to cut their way through an unwilling enemy left a bad taste in his mouth all the same. It was much easier when they vindictively wanted you dead.

However, he would keep going despite his failure. He had to. Everyone looked to be on the brink of despair, and they needed someone to be strong. Unfortunately, it did not look like Chrom would be fulfilling that role any time soon, so Robin decided that he would do it in the meantime. If the Shepherds did not pull through, then there was little hope for Ylisse as things were going. The people would need to rally around Chrom, and he needed the Shepherds, and the Shepherds needed Robin to be strong right now even if he never felt weaker.

* * *

She had failed. Despite her efforts, Emmeryn still died. She had followed them, but she was too late to actually do anything to help. She scoffed at herself. A time traveler that ended up three years early did not have enough time.

Despite her own failings, she knew that her father must have felt terrible. She never knew Emmeryn so she was obviously not close with her elder aunt, but she too felt dread because of what her death represented.

Still, she also felt for Robin who must have also felt terrible over the failure. He probably blamed himself for what happened even though there was no way he could have predicted such a turn of events. Lucina had been forced to take another route out of Plegia for safety, so she had not been able to keep an eye on him. However, she just knew that he would not take it well. She wanted to be there for him even more at that thought-to tell him it was not his fauglt-but she had to resist the urge. He was capable; he would manage.

* * *

After rallying, the Shepherds and Chrom seemed ready for action. Robin was pleased to see his friends somewhat back to their old selves, but he himself might take more time to recover his confidence.

He still put on a brave face, but he was constantly second guessing himself. He had even had more than one nightmare about his failure and potential future failures. In other words, he was a mess.

However, his friends were relying on him so this was not the time to sulk. He would have plenty of time for that after the war was over, but for now, he needed his head in the game and his emotions out of the way.

So that is what he did. He steeled himself and mustered his tactical expertise for the final confrontation with Gangrel. They actually faced little resistance on their way to face off against the mad king as most of his soldiers were abandoning their posts.

While Gangrel's forces were losing morale, the Shepherds were experiencing a strange surge of morale. They were galvanized by the loss of Emmeryn. They would not fail. The sight gave Robin the final push he needed. They put their faith in him, even after he failed them they trusted him. He would honor that trust. He would win. No, _they_ would win.

* * *

Lucina watched the final battle between Ylisse and Plegia unfold. She still flinched every time Robin engaged the enemy, but he handled himself extremely well. It seemed that her training had paid off.

Though, he had help, and she did not mean the general assistance of any Shepherds nearby. No, he seemed to have picked up a partner in that pegasus knight-Cordelia was her name if her mother's stories served her well. She did not know her well since she perished before she was born, but things seemed to be different this time around. Granted, that was kind of the point of her being there, but she felt somewhat uneasy seeing them work so closely together.

She berated herself for such thoughts. It was not her job to police his personal life, or, so she told herself. In truth, it brought up a painful possibility for Lucina. Things had changed which meant that Robin could end up marrying and having a family…without her. The thought of him moving on was a painful one, but one she should not dwell on.

She watched in relief as the battle finally came to an end. It was hard fought, but the Shepherds came out of the battle without any fatalities thanks to Robin's quick thinking and their own fierce determination.

With the war over, there was little for her to do for some time. She would have to keep her ear to the ground, but otherwise, she was free. Of course, she planned to keep an eye on Robin though. She may not be able to be with him without causing some very personal problems, but she could at least ensure his safety. It was the least she could do…and, she wanted to have some part in his life, no matter how distant.

 **A/N: The first part is finally over! Now I will probably slow things down a bit. A lot of people have asked for a love triangle of sorts…which seems a bit odd since I've seen people dread them before. Still, I had already planned a little something, but seeing as there is demand for such a thing, I may increase its importance.**

 **Oh, yeah, and Cordelia died early on in Lucina's world. That is a bit of a running trend, and you may guess what that means.**

 **Also, I didn't sleep at all last night, so I may very well sleep late tomorrow, so the Heroes update might be a little late if I sleep past noon (no college of Fridays).**


	30. Life Goes On

It was truly amazing how much paperwork there was _after_ the war. Robin certainly found himself busy during the hard-won peace. He had been given a prestigious position as grandmaster of the army after the war, and with it came a fancy office and piles of paperwork detailing the reconstruction of Ylisse's armed forces.

He was-thankfully-interrupted by a knock on his door. He quickly bid his visitor to enter.

"Busy?" Chrom asked as he walked over to one of the chairs opposite of the tactician.

"Very, but I welcome the distraction so long as you're not here to bring more work."

"Not quite, at least, not military work. I actually had something personal to discuss," he replied as he plopped down into the chair.

"And what would that be?" Robin inquired as he leaned back in his own chair. He also remembered to request to have the chair padded as it did not feel very comfortable on his back.

"I asked Sumia to marry me."

"Okay…"

"You don't seem very surprised?"

"Chrom, I knew she had a crush on you within five minutes of meeting her, and I figured out that you felt the same way after that incident at the Feroxi border. Honestly, I think you two were the last ones to figure it out…which is probably the most surprising part of all of this. Though I had my suspicions after seeing you too getting so cozy lately."

"Yes, well," Chrom cleared his throat; were they that easy to read? "Anyway, I wanted to ask before the rumor mill started churning if you would be my best man."

"I'm honored, but wouldn't some of your more long-term friends be better suited?"

"Don't go getting such a big head. I've thought this over, and each of them have something that doesn't quite mesh well with the role. Frederick, for example, still acts too much like a knight and, well, a servant to do the role justice despite mine and Lissa's best efforts to get him to loosen up."

"Well since you asked so nicely, I would be honored. Any idea when the ceremony will be?"

"We're not sure on the details yet. Sumia seems to have been planning this for some time though, so who knows how long it could take to get everything ready."

"So how have you been?" Chrom changed the subject, "Any luck with your project?"

Robin adopted a more sullen expression at the mention of his project, "I've been looking at villages from around the area that you found me. I've been trying to collect information about the surrounding villages, but I will eventually need to head out there myself. I promise not to vanish on my quest until after the wedding though."

Chrom smiled at his friend, "Good, Sumia may not take too kindly to the absence of my best man."

"Speaking of, who has she picked for her maid of honor?" he had a pretty good idea who she picked though.

"I think she was going to talk to Cordelia about it. Speaking of which, you two have been spending a decent amount of time together, haven't you?"

"We have to coordinate our efforts in rebuilding the military."

"Over lunch?" Chrom raised a brow as he mentioned their weekly lunch meetings.

"She's a friend. Now, if you're done insinuating things, I have some paperwork to finish."

* * *

Robin had been spending a good amount of time with Cordelia. Even before the war ended, they had become de facto partners after he saved her from that wyvern rider. They were certainly close, but Chrom had brought up another possibility.

Of course, it was pretty obvious that she cared deeply for a certain prince even if he had been too dense to see it…yet he still made insinuations about Robin's love life.

"Are you alright?"

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking."

"I can see that," the redhead responded, "Perhaps that enough status updates for one day. So…has Chrom talked to you yet?"

"About the," Robin looked around at the busy street and decided that discretion was called for since the public announcement had not yet been made, "'job?'"

"Yes," she understood what he meant.

"He has. What about you?"

She let out one of her signature sighs, "Sumia talked to me about it yesterday."

"I'm sorry. I know it can't be easy for you."

"Thank you, but I'll manage."

"Are you certain?" he knew how much she fawned over Chrom, "Is there anything I can do?"

"That's sweet," she smiled, "I suppose you could buy dessert if you want to help. I could go for something really sweet and unhealthy."

Robin smiled back, "One dessert that could make Gaius nauseous coming up." He bought her the most extravagant dessert on the menu. After assuring her that he was paid well enough that he could afford it-that was one advantage to his new job-she dug into the sweet.

Robin left his weekly meeting feeling rather concerned for his friend. She was undoubtedly going through inner turmoil. He just wished that he could help her through it.

* * *

Lucina had managed to find a place in the suburbs of Ylisstol. She helped out in a local shop with the knowledge she picked up in Arton as well as completing minor tasks around town and selling firs and such from what she was able to hunt, and she had taken up lodging with an elderly couple for a small fee.

She spent almost all of her free time, however, snooping around the castle. Part of her felt silly for what she was doing. There was not supposed to be any danger for some time, but she also told herself that things had changed and that there could be an unknown threat lurking just around the corner.

Both the highlight and worst part of her days was whenever she caught a glimpse of Robin. Sometimes she saw him training while other times he was simply getting some fresh air after being stuck inside all day. Though he spent large portions of his time inside. _He was probably in the library,_ she mused to herself bittersweetly.

There was one day a week that he would always leave the castle grounds, and it was her least favorite day of the week. Once a week he would meet Cordelia for lunch. She had no idea what they talked about, but they both seemed to enjoy each other's company.

Perhaps it should not have, but it irritated her to no end. Did she really have a right to be so…jealous, over a man that did not even remember her? All of the memories, all of the special times they shared, he remembered none of it.

She looked at the wooden robin she had kept from the satchel. It was hard to accept that all of those memories were gone, but they were.

Besides, Cordelia could offer him a stability that she could not. They both had promising careers in the military and a place to stay. If Robin were to be with her though, where would they even go? What of his career-his dream? Maybe…maybe it was all for the best that he stay with Cordelia, and if not her, then some other woman who could offer him what she could not.

Even with the notion that Robin might be better off, she moved her hand up to her face and pulled it back. It was moist.

 **A/N: So, some people have pointed out how Cordelia could very well come out of this poorly, but I do like her as well so I have no intention of treating her like garbage to be thrown out.**


	31. The Wedding

Once word of the royal wedding was made public, life around the castle got much more hectic, and Robin was getting tired of having to dodge so many workers just to get to his office every morning. Chrom had said that the nobles insisted on a big stately wedding, but how big could one wedding be?

After nearly running into an excessively large cake, he finally made up his mind that if he was ever to wed, that he wanted a small ceremony. Still, he could at least draw some relief from the fact that within twenty-four hours the wedding would be over…and then he would have to put up with the whole process in reverse.

However, at the moment, his biggest problem was this tie. He had read up on the process of tying them, but he was getting frustrated as the fabric refused to cooperate. When he received a knock on his door, he decided to take a quick respite from the clothe.

"Are you ready?" Chrom asked from the doorway.

"Almost, how about you? Nervous?"

"Ah, well," he checked to make sure that there were no overly active ears nearby, "A little. I mean, I'm sure that I want to marry her, but it's still nerve racking all the same."

"You'll do fine," Robin reassured his friend, "Now just…calm down."

"You'll understand one day," he shot a knowing look to the tactician.

"But not today."

As they exited his room to meet up with the others Chrom asked to make sure that Robin had the rings.

"Yes, Chrom, I have the rings. Relax. You're getting married, not walking off to the gallows."

* * *

After leaving Chrom to take his place at the altar, Robin joined up with the other groomsmen as they awaited the arrival of the women. They enjoyed some lively banter and laughs much to the dismay of some of the more stuffy nobleman.

However, Robin really just wanted to get that tie tied properly. It was almost time for the ceremony to start, and he was the only one who did not have his tied. He had rather hoped to avoid going out there like that especially with some of the nobility already complaining that he was the best man.

Even as the women came in, he was still preoccupied with that accursed strip of fabric. So much so, that he failed to notice when Cordelia walked over to him.

"It looks like you could use a hand."

"Huh? Oh I–" when he looked up from his task, he noticed that she was quite striking. The bride's maids were all wearing Sumia's signature pink, but despite the dresses looking nearly identical, he had to admit that Cordelia wore it exceptionally well, "Um, yes, it seems that I just can't get this tied properly."

She smiled amusedly, "Here, let me help," she reached for the fabric and began twisting and turning it expertly.

"Where did you learn to tie a tie like this?"

"My father could never tie one either. Mother showed me how to do it in case she wasn't around to do it."

"You don't mention your parents much."

She looked at him momentarily before resuming her work, "My mother died when I was fifteen, and my father died three years ago."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to–"

"It's fine. You didn't know." She stood back and admired her handiwork, "Good, you look presentable now."

He looked down at the expertly tied knot and the perfect length, "Wow, not bad."

About that time, the music started which signified that they should assume their positions. Robin offered his arm with an encouraging look which she returned with a grateful smile of her own. They then locked arms and proceeded out into the main hall.

* * *

Lucina had managed to sneak her way to a decent vantage point. She had unfortunately been unable to get into the main hall to watch the actual ceremony, but she did have a good view of the reception which was being held outdoors to take advantage of the remaining good weather before it became too cold.

It was a remarkable experience getting to be present at her own parents' wedding. It made here truly happy to see them together and enjoying simply being in each other's presence. She saw many faces there, both familiar and unfamiliar. It seemed that things had changed to save more Shepherd's from an untimely demise. The sight of that gave her hope.

However, the day brought its fair share of unpleasant thoughts as well. Particularly as the dancing began, and Robin ended up dancing with Cordelia. She gripped the stone railing so tight at the sight that for a moment she thought she might crack it.

Was she really so jealous? She had never thought herself as a particularly jealous person. So why? Well, she knew the answer to that really. Any potential doubts she may have had were obliterated: she well and truly loved him. Too bad there was little to be done about it now.

Robin could live a good life with Cordelia. Perhaps she should just leave them be, but…it hurt. She tried to be strong. She always put her duty ahead of her own feelings, and until recently she had been successful at keeping it from showing. Now, however, she had finally reached her breaking point. She could hardly hide the pain any longer, and it hurt worse than any physical wound she had ever endured.

She wiped her face again. For the second time she found herself letting out tears. She never cried; not since her parents had died. Life was not fair; especially to her.

Deciding that she did not care to see any more, she left the city proper; her mood starkly contrasting the festivities around her.

* * *

The wedding had gone fairly well. Sumia only stuttered once. Now he was sitting at a table gorging himself on expensive food while the happy couple received a long line of guests ready to congratulate them.

He was also generally keeping Cordelia company. To her credit, she did not seem as distraught as he thought she would be.

"How are you holding up?" he knew it might be uncomfortable, but she might find comfort in talking about it and Sumia was definitely out of the question as a sounding board. Besides, they were at a fairly secluded table.

"Better than I thought I would," she answered with a smile that only looked half sincere, "To be honest, none of this has hit me as hard as I expected."

"That's good," Robin replied in relief even if he was not sure whether she was sincere or just putting on a show for his benefit.

Around that time, music started up which signified that it was time for dancing. Robin had studied up for just this occasion since he knew that someone was probably going to make him dance, however, he found himself volunteering.

"Would you care to dance?" he stood up and offered her his hand as he had read was the gentlemanly thing to do.

"A-are you certain?"

"Well, I am the best man, and you are the maid of honor. Surely we are expected to dance at some point."

"Oh," was she…disappointed?

"If you don't want to, then we don't have to."

"No! No, I'd love to."

Robin led her onto the middle area and began his rehearsed steps. He was personally just glad that he did not step on her toes. After he gained enough confidence that he would not crush her feet, he focused on his partner.

She seemed to be enjoying herself which brought a smile to his face. She was lovely as well. However, he could not help but feel something dampening his mood. What was it? He was not quite sure what the feeling was at first, but then he figured it out. He felt guilty.

 **A/N: Amidst all of the, well, angst I guess, I did also drop another line that shows something about Lucina's timeline.**


	32. The Quest

After their wedding, the royal couple made off for an undisclosed location for their honeymoon away from prying eyes. Meanwhile, Robin was left to his thoughts as he went about his duties.

He was still not certain why he felt the way he did at the wedding, and it was starting to affect his interaction with Cordelia. He tried to act like nothing was wrong, but could not speak as to his success.

Then there was the reason for his guilt. He imagined that it had to do with his life before he lost his memory since nothing had happened since then that would cause him to feel guilty like that. He was almost certain it had to do with that ring that he awoke with-specifically, the woman it was intended for.

All of this meant that he was more eager than ever to go on his trip to try and find his home. So he decided that he would a week after Chrom and Sumia got back from their trip. Someone had to approve his time off, and he did not want to abscond without telling two of his closest friends where he was going.

* * *

They royal couple was back at the end of the week as scheduled, and things went on as normal for the most part except that he and Chrom spent less time together. However, Sumia made sure to invite Robin to breakfast a few days after they arrived. At first, Robin did not want to intrude on the happy couple, but after a little encouragement, he finally relented.

Lissa was sleeping in that day leaving Robin alone with Chrom and Sumia as they tried not to fawn over each other too much. It was an awkward experience to say the least.

However, he did take this time to inform them of his plans. They tried to get him to take some guards, but he insisted on going alone and not making a fuss. After some well-wishing and a gourmet breakfast, he went about his day preparing his work for the time he would be gone. He was not sure how long he would be absent, but he prepared for a month just to be on the safe side.

* * *

Then it came time for his weekly lunch with Cordelia. He was still uncertain how to act around her, and spent most of the time thinking.

"Robin, is everything okay? You've been distant lately."

"Hmm, oh, I guess I have. I'm sorry, but ever since the wedding, I have been…preoccupied."

"Preoccupied with what?" she looked curious, and even a little concerned which was just like her.

"Well," he thought for a moment. He had not told anyone about the ring, but he felt that he could trust her, "When Chrom found me, I had a ring with me. I'm pretty sure that it's an engagement ring."

"I see," her face went cold and unreadable.

"I can't remember who it's for, but…I need to try and find her. Until I do, I don't think I can move on. So, I'll be leaving next week to do some investigating. I may not find anything, or worse, I may find something unpleasant, but I have to try."

"I understand," Cordelia gave a sullen smile.

"Thank you," he failed to mention that she triggered his newfound determination to find whoever that ring was meant for. He thought that there was something between him and the redhead, but he could not feel okay with pursuing a relationship with her so long as this doubt and guilt hung over his head. It would not be right to Cordelia, the mystery woman, or himself.

"So how long will you be gone?"

"I'm not sure. I've laid out my work plans for a month, but I hope it doesn't take that long."

"Will you be taking an escort?"

"No, I don't want to pull away resources."

"I'm sure some of the Shepherds would volunteer."

"I know, but this seems like something I should do on my own. Don't worry, I can handle myself."

"I know," she smiled with more enthusiasm this time, "You've demonstrated that time and time again. In fact, would you mind sparring sometime after you get back?"

"Sparring? Sure, I don't see why not," they had both been so busy that they had not sparred since the end of the war. It was hard enough to clear their lunch schedule once a week, but they both managed to do so without fail.

"Good, I wish you safe travels."

"Thank you."

* * *

The past two weeks had been easier for Lucina. Robin had seemed to slow down with Cordelia which helped her to feel somewhat better even if it felt incredibly selfish of her to think that way.

However, Robin did something strange at the beginning of the new week: he left Ylisstol. He had not left the capital during the entire time since the war had ended so, naturally, she followed him.

He had a horse, which made following him harder, but she had learned to ride as a child and managed to rent a horse of her own. The trip was a quiet one for most of the day, until she heard a commotion coming from up ahead-she maintained a discreet distance so as not to be seen. She almost immediately led her horse into a gallop.

She arrived to find Robin-without his horse-fighting off a group of bandits. He was doing a good job of defending himself, but they outnumbered him. She dismounted and approached just in time to stop the final bandit from getting in a sneak attack from behind.

She turned to leave almost immediately, but it did not appear that she was fast enough as she heard him call out "Marth." She froze. She could hear him getting closer. What should she do?

"Thanks for the help. I must say that I never expected you to show up here. Might I ask why you are out here?"

Unwilling-or perhaps unable-to ignore direct words from the tactician, she breathed deep before turning around to face the tactician and opened her mouth.

 **A/N: I got some pretty good reviews last chapter. I especially want to mention Arthogawa's. I honestly hadn't considered having kids come back who remembered an alternate reality than Lucina. However, after thinking on it, I found some potential plot holes, but if you don't want to write it out, I would still like to ask permission to use that in a future-or splinter-story if I can iron out the details.**


	33. Chapter 33(I could not settle on a name)

Robin's little trip was not going quite as planned. It was going okay until an arrow spooked his horse and left him stranded with a group of brigands. Of course, he was more than capable of fending off a few bandits, or, so he though.

As it turned out, one of them had managed to sneak up behind him. Had it not been for the timely intervention of his…acquaintance, then he would probably not have made it.

Speaking of his acquaintance, he was genuinely surprised to see her here. There had been no word of the mysterious stranger since the end of the war. He had expected her to have left to do…whatever it was that she did.

As it stood, he was still waiting on a reply. He half expected her to ignore him or give a simple, curt reply, but, no, she turned to face him, "I followed you."

"Any particular reason why?" He felt somewhat uneasy at that revelation.

"The grandmaster of Ylisse should not be so reckless as to travel alone."

"Hmm," normally he might try to contest that point, but looking around at the bodies of the men who just tried to kill him, he decided that he would not win that argument, "Fair point. So, since you're already here, does that mean you will be accompanying me for the rest of the trip?"

"I, er, am not sure that would be appropriate."

"Well, suit yourself, but I have no intentions of turning back," He left her to her own machinations while he looked for any traces of his horse. He saw no sight of his steed, but his mind kept going back to the stranger.

It was a little…odd, to say the least, that she had followed him, and he wanted to do this alone. However, she did a wonderful job of proving why going alone may not be the safest course of action, and why her following him may have been a good idea. Why she cared so much about keeping him safe, he had no idea, but she had a good track record for knowing…things.

"It looks like my horse has gone," he turned around and was half surprised to find her still there, "We won't be able to make it to town before nightfall without it."

"'We?'"

"Yes, you've already followed me this far, and you just so happened to save my life. Given that you followed me to keep me safe, I doubt you plan on going back now, so we might as well travel together. At least then you can keep me company." He may have wanted to do this alone, but he doubted that she would do much talking. Besides, this was a unique opportunity.

Though she still looked extremely hesitant, "If you don't want to, you don't have to."

She closed her eyes and seemed to be doing some deep thought for a few moments before she opened them again and looked at him hard, "Very well, I shall accompany you."

Robin nodded in confirmation, "Alright, we should get going. The closer we can get to town before dark, the better."

"I could let you take my horse."

"No," Robin quickly replied, "That would just leave you out here alone at night. No, we're safer together."

"Very well."

After that, they hardly said a word other than to pick out a camp site. Robin was somewhat disappointed-but not surprised-by how little she talked. Honestly, he was hoping to learn something about this mysterious stranger. Of course, their journey had just begun.

* * *

Lucina struggled to maintain a calm composure. Despite the collected appearance she projected outward, she was a mess internally. She had done the one thing she told herself she should not do: she talked to Robin. She was fine with keeping watch from afar to keep him safe from potential harm-or so she told herself, perhaps she was simply a masochist-but to get close, that could prove problematic.

For one, she was not sure how long she could keep her composure. Also, as bad as it was to see him from afar yet being unable to interact with him, it was far worse to actually be with him without him knowing who she was.

She should have left while he was distracted. She could have resumed her following from a distance to keep him safe, but she had been both too flustered and too lost in thought to react in time.

There was also the issue of her being found out. She told him that she followed him because he was the grandmaster, but that was only a partial truth. Still, now he might find her out in the city. She may have to lay low for the foreseeable future.

Given his explanation, and the fact that he was asking her to stay with him-even if he was not asking _her_ to stay with him-made her cast aside her better judgment. Surely she could keep her cool for a few days.

"Marth?" he asked as he lit the campfire with a spell-he had gotten pretty good at that.

"…Yes?"

"What should I call you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure that your name isn't actually Marth unless you have some pretty cruel parents. So, what should I call you?"

As tempting as it was, she simply could not tell him her real name no matter how much she wanted him to call her that. The royal baby would need a name before long, and she could not risk the tactician influencing that decision because of her.

However, she was more than willing to take this opportunity to take a new alias. Given that her cover was blown, the name was now as obsolete as the bindings-which she had discarded soon after said cover was blown. As much as she idolized her ancestor, she had grown tired of being called by his name.

"Caeda," she responded simply.

"Sticking with the Altean theme I see. Well then, 'Caeda,' I'll take first watch, alright?"

"Very well," she laid down with her back to the tactician. She tried to get some sleep, but she was not sure just how much sleep she would be able to get.

 **A/N: Okay, so maybe not as dramatic as some of you may have expected. I tried to address the concerns that Lucina was acting kind of stalkerish. She wants to keep him safe, but forces herself to do it at a distance. Even if she does fully decided to leave him be and let him live his life, she will still want to watch over him. It may seem a bit out of character, but he was her only friend for three years as they grew to love each other. That tends to lead to some attachment issues.**

 **I'm not completely convinced of her new alias, so if you can think of a better one, feel free to suggest it. I could retcon it. Just, uh, make sure it's a girl's name.**

 **Oh, and since by the time I update the Heroes story, the new gauntlet will already be underway, I intend to joint team Cordelia. If you are also joining her team feel free to send me a request. ID is on my profile.**


	34. Arton

Robin awoke to a nice if not somewhat brisk morning. He was actually a little surprised to see that Caeda had not left in the night. Perhaps he was more convincing than he thought.

She was already up and about when he awoke-she may have woke him by accident. She looked pretty alert for it to be so early in the morning. She had already cleared away most of the camp by the time he was on his feet.

"You're certainly an early riser, aren't you?" She did not respond which elicited a sigh from the tactician, "Fine." He reached into his pack and pulled out some food that he had brought, "You hungry?"

She looked at him for a moment before responding, "I already ate. Thank you."

That was about how all of his attempts to make conversation went. She was not very talkative it would seem. However, he was especially curious about this young woman.

Still, he had little luck getting her to divulge anything by the time they reached the first town on his little tour so he decided to focus on the task at hand. He spent the entire day asking around, but it was to no avail as no one recognized him. It was somewhat disheartening, but he still had two other villages to visit.

They spent the night in the local inn. Robin wished her good night which she returned curtly. He spent his time before drifting off into sleep wondering about what he may find in those next villages as well as how he might be able to find something out about his traveling companion.

* * *

Lucina awoke the next morning before Robin, something she had become accustomed to. His remark about her rising early had brought back some memories of some lighthearted conversations they had had…before all of this.

Despite his amnesia, he was still very much the Robin she knew. He was kind and smart though he did not seem quite so carefree as he had before. It really seemed that he was carrying something around with him. Given all that he had been through, it was not hard to believe.

As much as she wanted to help him, she was not sure how he might react to what she had to say. It may give him some closure about his past, but then there was the situation concerning their relationship. Robin may have loved her before, but he lost his memories of that. Whether or not he could learn to love her again, she did not want him to feel like he had to try.

She supposed that it was possible that she could tell him about his past while leaving out certain details, but he would almost certainly ask questions and she did not want to lie to him.

So she decided that she would wait. She did not know what he might find on this little excursion. However, Arton had been fairly remote, so the odds of anyone recognizing him-or her for that matter-seemed incredibly unlikely.

Lucina was currently waiting outside of a local establishment while Robin checked inside. It was getting colder. It would not be long before winter arrived. She found herself longing for her coat she left back in Arton.

Her longing was broken when Robin exited the building, "Well, I've come across some disturbing news. It looks like the last village on my list was destroyed a few months back. It's fairly out of the way, but I still want to go have a look."

"What is this village?"

"It _was_ named Arton. Rumor has it that bandits have set up in the ruins. I could use your help in clearing them out, but you don't have to go if you don't want to."

Arton…she supposed that he would head there eventually, "I will accompany you. It could be dangerous for you to go alone."

"Good, then we set out in the morning."

* * *

It was a quiet journey to the ruined town. Though it would take two days to get there on foot so they were forced to make camp again. Robin lit the fire once more and they silently ate their dinner around the fire.

He took this time to inspect his companion. She was certainly not bad on the eyes. Robin almost chuckled to himself ruefully. It seemed that he had no trouble finding beautiful women. She was attractive though without her disguise, and, while she certainly had a womanly figure without it, her face was probably her best feature. Her eyes particularly seemed incredible for what little he was able to see them. He was curious as to what she was hiding, but she did a good job of not looking him in the eye.

Wow, he was a mess. He was already having…issues deciphering his feelings for Cordelia compounded by the possibility of a past beloved, and here he was admiring how his new companion looked. He really hoped that he got his affairs in order soon.

True to the rumors, they spotted a fire in the main square of what used to be Arton. Together they spotted about five men outside with possibly more in the ruins of the town hall.

With the element of surprise, they should be more than capable of handling them. Robin gave Caeda the plan and then they moved off silently. Caeda seemed especially good at moving undetected. Just who was she?

* * *

Robin gave them a fair warning-even if these were reported brigands, he was not eager to kill anyone who may in fact be innocent. They reacted in a less than friendly manner, and quickly moved to attack him. Unfortunately for them, he had become quite proficient in magic and electrocuted the first few who came near him while Caeda slipped in behind them.

Needless to say, they were no match for the two of them. Many of them fled after they realized that they were severely outclassed. Once Robin was satisfied that they were alone, he finally took the time to look around the remains of the village.

It was devastated. Entire buildings looked to be missing. Whatever happened here must have been truly horrific. Perhaps he was here and lost his memory due to the trauma. It was possible if the texts he had read were anything to go by, but research into these issues was not exactly precise.

He continued wondering around the ruins with Caeda trailing him. What happened here?

* * *

Lucina followed Robin through the ruins of Arton. This was the first time she had returned to the village. It seems that Grima went on a rampage when Robin was not there. The destruction was reminiscent of what she witnessed in the future. She had seen it many times in the future, but this was much more personal. This place had essentially been her home for three years. Not only did Grima take Robin from her, but also her new home.

Robin did not seem to recognize his childhood home, not that she expected that he would even if she had hoped that he might. Though, after seeing this carnage, perhaps it was for the best that he did not remember.

Eventually, he came to the outskirts of the town-near the house. It was illuminated by the moonlight which revealed that the entire sitting room was now…gone. They got closer and entered.

It seemed that Grima's bloodlust lead the dragon to leaving most of the house alone in search of more victims. Robin looked around cautiously. Why he picked this house to go into, she did not know, but it could have been its unique location.

Regardless of his reasoning, he was walking up the stairs to what was once his room. He stopped by his mother's first. It was picked almost bare, so he left after a quick run through.

Then he moved on to the next room, his room. Lucina hesitated as his room had always been off limits; she had only seen the inside a handful of times, but she eventually followed him in anyway. It was in relatively good condition; however, it did appear to have been looted as well for anything of value. Looking around, Robin stooped to pick something up. It was a children's book by the looks of it.

He did not speak for a long time, "Are you alright?"

He quickly closed the book, "It would seem that this may have been my room. The book, it's signed 'Robin.' Maybe it's another Robin, but…I don't think so. Too many things fit."

So, he figured it out. She did not know what to say, so she said nothing. He stuffed the book into his pocket and searched the house for keepsakes, but found nothing. Once he was done, he declared that they should distance themselves from the village lest the bandits decide to return.

Eventually they made camp and as they sat around the fire, Lucina noticed Robin fondling something between his fingers as he stared into the fire. Given what had just occurred, she decided that she would try to offer him some comfort or, at least, distraction.

"What will you do now?"

"There's not much I can do except to go back to Ylisstol. It's apparently the only life left to me." They sat in silence once again until Robin broke it, "What about you? Will you continue to lurk in the shadows looking out for the safety of high ranking officials?"

"If you wish for me to stop–"

"I'll admit, it was a bit disconcerting at first, but you did save my life. Though if you want to keep us safe, then why not just join the Shepherds? I'm sure that Chrom would accept you."

"I am certain that he would, but…I have my reasons for keeping my distance."

"Hmph, well, don't be a stranger. Stop in to say hello every now and then."

"But I–" Robin stopped her with a raised hand.

"I already know that you're still around. What harm could it be for us to talk every so often. You seem like you could use a friend, and I would like learn about you; you're quite the anomaly."

"I–" how was she supposed to respond to that? "I will think about it."

"Fair enough," he stood up, "You should go ahead and get some sleep; I'll take first watch."

She watched as he went to patrol the perimeter. What was she supposed to do about his offer? She desperately wanted to accept, but she had gone through why she should not. Still, he had asked her. Maybe they could start over from the ground up. At the very least they might be able to become friends again. Surely that would be better than nothing…or would it?

 **A/N: So…should she accept or not? I admit that I'm not quite sure myself. It could be interesting even if it does deny the cold start at the beginning of the Valmese War.**


	35. Ylisstol

The entire way back to Ylisstol, Lucina was mulling over Robin's offer. Her sense of duty told her not to accept, that it was a bad idea, but her heart told her to do it. It was not an easy decision to make to say the least.

The closer they got to the capital, the more it weighed on her mind until they were near the rural area surrounding the city.

"Robin," she started hesitantly drawing the tactician's attention, "I have been thinking about your off, and," she had sacrificed enough for her duty she decided, "I would like to take you up on it. However, I am not ready to reveal my presence to the other Shepherds quite yet."

Robin smiled, "That's fine, we can meet clandestinely for the time being. How about we meet here, in one week?"

"That, that sounds lovely," she smiled her first genuine smile in months.

* * *

Robin strolled through the busy streets of Ylisstol in a surprisingly good mood. He was happy that he had been able to convince Caeda to open up a little. She definitely seemed like someone who could use a friend.

Still, when he saw the smile she gave before they parted ways, something seemed so… he just could not place it and that frustrated him. It was a lovely sight though. She did not smile much, but she had a good one when she did; he would have to endeavor to make her smile more in the future.

He waved at the guards as he entered the castle grounds. He had been unable to send word ahead, so he did not expect much of a greeting which was fine by him since he was so tired.

First things first, he needed food…and he probably needed to tell Chrom he was back while he was at it. After a quick stop by the kitchen, he headed for the royal study. The guards saluted as he knocked on the door.

Chrom absently invited him in, and when Robin entered, he saw the prince busy with a stack of paperwork. It was nice to know that he was not the only one who suffered.

"So did I miss anything?" Robin asked from behind the chairs used for seating guests.

"Robin!" he finally looked up from the dreaded papers, "How long have you been back?"

"An hour or two. I stopped by for a snack before heading up."

"Please, sit," Chrom gestured to the empty chairs. An offer that Robin gladly took, "So, how was your trip?"

Robin's face darkened, "I found this," he pulled out the book and opened it to where his name was.

"Where?" his friend handed the book back.

"A little town called Arton," Robin slid the book back into his coat, "It was devastated."

"I'm sorry," Chrom sympathetically told his friend.

"Thanks," the tactician sighed before putting on a brave face, "I guess this truly is home now."

"You're always welcome here."

"I know. You and the Shepherds have treated me like family, and for that, you have my thanks."

"So, did anything interesting happen on your trip?"

Robin informed him of the trip while leaving out certain details. He figured that Caeda would not appreciate his mentioning her. They talked for another half hour before Robin finally excused himself.

Once outside of the study, Robin made for his room. He wanted to rest before resuming his duties tomorrow.

* * *

Robin awoke to the sound of a knocking at his door. Looking out of the window, he saw that it was late afternoon. Sitting up and pushing himself off of the bed-he had opted to simply lie on top of the comforter instead of getting in the bed-and walked to the door to greet his guest.

"Cordelia?" the wing commander stood outside his quarters, "What brings you by here?"

"I heard that you were back. I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

"I was napping, but I probably needed to get up anyway. So don't worry about it."

"Oh, good. I, uh, was wondering if you would care to join me for dinner at the usual spot."

"Sure, I suppose we did miss lunch after all." Robin grabbed his coat from off the chair at his desk and closed the door behind him.

* * *

"So, how did your trip go?"

Robin told her about Arton and the book, but he once again left out any mention of Caeda.

"I see, and what about your…beloved?"

"Nothing, but from the looks of that town, I would not expect many survivors. It may not be conclusive, but I think that it's time I moved on."

"I see," she replied with a strained voice. He was not sure what she was thinking, but she did look a little conflicted.

"But enough about that. Tell me, did I miss anything while I was gone?"

"Not much. Training of the recruits is going well. I'm hoping to have the first squadron ready within six to eight months."

"You're making excellent progress."

"Please, I'm just trying to fill the role left to me."

"And you're doing a wonderful job. Trust me, I oversee the military, remember. The pegasus knights are rebuilding at an exceptional pace. Even Frederick isn't as efficient in rebuilding the royal guard."

"You are too kind," she inspected her tea.

"I mean it," he smiled, "So, uh, how have you been holding up?"

"Fine," she did not need to ask what he meant.

"Are you sure? If you need to talk–"

"Really, Robin," she smiled at him this time, "I'm fine. Surprising as it may be, I've moved on."

"Well, if you say so," he took a sip from his tea, "I'm glad to hear that you're doing so well."

"Thank you," she awkwardly brought her cup up to her face. He had no idea what she was thinking behind those red eyes of hers. Had she really bucked her, well, obsession with Chrom so easily? Was there another man perhaps? He was not entirely sure how he felt about that possibility which was not surprising given how much of a mess his emotions had been lately.

 **A/N: I decided to go with Lucina making maybe not the most rational decision in this case. Her judgment isn't exactly 100% when it comes to Robin here. And she definitely isn't going after her friends since they kind of don't exist. I don't mean that in a mean way, they literally don't exist in this story as, well, things didn't go so great the first time around. I think this would also make Lucina even more attached to Robin since not only did they fall in love, but he was also her only friend in…years for three years. So Robin was both her lover (not in a perverted way!) and also her only friend. I'm making sense, right?**


	36. The Meeting

Robin was a busy man. Overseeing the reconstruction of an entire nation's military was no small feat. There were walls to be rebuilt and forts to be replenished. Fortunately, his tactical training also allowed him impressive analytical skills and the country's defenses were well on their way to being restored and more.

However, he was still just one man, but there were some highlights that he could look forward to each week. That's not to say he only got a break during these times, but these were the consistent ones that he could rely on.

First was breakfast with Chrom and Sumia usually joined by Lissa which he attended twice a week. They had offered for him to eat with them more, but he insisted on giving them their space. Even still, they seemed to be increasing their efforts to make him feel like family; probably due to what he found on his trip. The married couple also seemed to be getting better at making those around them less uncomfortable and Lissa did make it more bearable by not leaving him alone with them. Despite all of that, he enjoyed spending time with them.

The other benchmark of his week was his lunch with Cordelia. It had become a bit of a tradition for the two, and judging by their dinner yesterday, it was a tradition that was destined to continue after his return. They had already set a date for next week.

While his feelings for the wing commander were a bit complicated, he knew that he enjoyed her company as a friend. When she actually took the time to talk, she was quite a good conversationalist if she just calmed down.

He was currently en route to what he hoped might become another regular event for him. He had managed to clear his schedule to make time for an evening with the mysterious stranger. Frederick would probably give him a long winded speech about security risks if he knew about this meeting, but Robin did not feel threatened by her.

She helped them for one, but that was not the only reason. Despite her rather cold exterior, she did not seem to hold him any ill contempt. Of course, he had no proof, but that was a risk that he was strangely willing to take.

He met her at the appointed spot where she was waiting on him dutifully. Though he noticed that she was still dressed for combat underneath her unassuming cloak. It was not the most inconspicuous of attire, not that he could talk, his only form of disguise was a new cloak himself.

"Robin, I was afraid that you had decided not to come," she greeted him, but it seemed like a strange thing to lead with. He looked up, was he really that late? He was held up for a few minutes at his office, but it was not much.

"Sorry, I was held up."

"It is fine. So, what do you wish to do?"

"Well, I guess we should probably just get to know each other first."

"R-right," was she always this nervous and just really good at hiding it?

* * *

Lucina wanted to slap herself. She let herself get concerned that he had backed out, but that was not the worst part. No, the worst part was how she was acting. She was nervous talking to him again trying to make sure that she made a good impression.

She had such high hopes for this meeting. She had tried to keep them within the realm of possibility, but she was hopeful nonetheless. A good impression here could pave the way for new relations. Now she just felt like she was coming off as a stammering idiot and ruining her chances.

"Caeda," he stopped her shortly after they started to talk, "Am I making you nervous?"

"A little," She commented, "I'm sorry, but I just wanted to make a good impression."

The tactician smiled, "Well, you don't have to stress out over it. Let's just…talk. No need to feel so nervous."

"Thank you, I…am sorry. I do not usually stutter so much."

"It's fine. Nerves can really throw people off. Let's try this again. Any hobbies?"

"I like to whittle."

"Whittle? You mean like carving?"

"Yes, though I have not been practicing much as of late." She could make the time, but it simply brought back too many memories.

"I'd love to see what you've made."

"Perhaps I can make something."

"I look forward to it."

The rest of their evening went much smoother as Lucina calmed down and simply enjoyed this opportunity. It was amazing how similar and, yet, how different he was from the Robin she knew. He was still kind and incredibly smart, but at the same time he was more reserved and his curiosity had been tempered by experience. He had matured, and she thought he wore the extra experience well.

All in all, the evening could be classified as a success. So much so, that Robin offered to make these visits a weekly affair. This time her decision was a much easier one to make. Spending time with Robin had worn down her inhibitions, and she was eager to continue these meetings. She tried to keep her hopes in check, but her imagination still ran wild with thoughts of happy endings at times-something which seemed so unlikely for most of her life, yet now, now it did not seem so impossible again.


	37. Mystery

Robin awoke early as today was the days of one of his breakfast appointments. Despite his usual drowsiness, he was unusually happy, and he could not quite explain why. He thought that things went well with Caeda yesterday, but that hardly seemed to warrant such jubilation on his part, and yet, he could not help but smile whenever he thought on her own radiant smile. It was strange. He did not know how or why, but it was certainly odd that she could affect him so easily already.

She was beautiful, it was true, but so was Cordelia-one might argue that she was more so, and even she did not move him in quite the same way. It felt like there was something just outside of his grasp that he just could not quite reach.

Before he could ponder the issue further, he was greeted by Chrom in a corridor.

"Chrom, what are you doing here? Did Sumia kick you out?"

"No," he laughed, "But she thought that we should talk some, and I agreed. We haven't talked much since the end of the war and we got back to Ylisstol."

"I know," Robin sighed, "But I've just been so busy."

"I know how that feels, but," the prince looked uncharacteristically sly, "I hear you actually took some time off yesterday."

Robin did his best to keep from freezing in his tracks, "Do you have people tell you whenever I take time off?"

"No," he laughed again, "But I needed a status update on the army and all I got was word that you were off duty."

"Sorry, I thought I had accounted for everything."

"It's no problem," Chrom waved it off, "Just some last minute preparation for today's meeting with the council, but I'm still curious. What could cause the great tactician to actually take some time off."

"I went to see an…acquaintance," Robin replied curtly. He doubted if he could classify her as a friend yet, but he was working on it.

"An 'acquaintance,' huh? Would this 'acquaintance' happen to be female?"

"…yes. Don't give me that look."

"What look?" Chrom asked knowing full and well what look.

"The smug grin."

"Alright, alright," he raised his hands defensively, "So does this 'acquaintance' have a name?"

"She prefers a certain degree of anonymity."

"Oh, secretive. I shouldn't be concerned, should I? Perhaps I can talk Frederick into chaperoning."

"Please don't. I assure you, we just chatted."

"If you say so."

* * *

Breakfast was surprisingly painless as Chrom actually behaved himself after Robin made him promise not to tell. Still, it brought up a need for greater secrecy. He did not want his friends to think he had anything to hide, but Caeda made it clear that she did not want them to know just yet, and he would respect her wishes.

Sooner or later though, one of his friends were going to get curious, and some of them would probably follow him to find out what he was up to. He was in an unpleasant spot, but he found himself willing to put up with it.

Why could his life not be simple?

* * *

The next few days went on as usual until it was time for his lunch appointment with Cordelia. It was a fine dinner with good conversation, but every time she smiled or laughed it just did not seem…quite right. She was the same as she always was, but he was not. Like usual, he was unable to determine exactly why.

"Um," Cordelia inspected her empty cup before a burst of determination made her look him in the eyes, "So the annual harvest festival is coming up."

"Harvest festival?"

"Yes, we have one every year to celebrate the harvest. It's a pretty big event, and I was wondering if you would like to accompany me."

"Sure," he smiled, "I could use the distraction."

"T-that's great!" she seemed quite happy that he agreed, "It's not for a few weeks though."

"Alright, we'll work out the details as it gets closer," Robin took note of the time and sighed, "Guess I'd better get back. Same time next week?"

"Of course," She smiled as they parted ways. Robin noticed that she was exceptionally awkward when she asked him and just as relieved that he said yes. Did she really think that he would say no? She was one of his closest friends after all.

Though he had to admit that he felt a certain trepidation about the event, but not as much as he might have expected. He was starting to wonder if he really did care about her like that.

It did not help that anytime he started to get romantic with her, he felt like he was stabbing someone in the back. He kept telling himself that the mystery woman was probably dead, and that he should move on; that Cordelia was a fine woman, but it did not make him feel any better about it.

He seemed full of unexplained feelings actually. Well, maybe not full, but it seemed that his heart knew more than his mind did, if that made any sense. He just wished that his heart would be kind enough to share.

 **A/N: I had an issue with determining just how much Robin would subconsciously remember. It made sense that he would not recognize her while disguised. Outside of the obvious, he did not learn of her disguise until shortly before he lost his memories so they were not as cemented-or as important-as some of the others.**

 **That still left me with finding a balance. Hopefully it works well enough.**

 **Also, you may have noticed that I tend to focus on Robin and Lucina, so how were the interactions with the others? Does Chrom feel like Chrom? Is Cordelia acting how she should?**

 **Oh, and a nod to** **Artyom-Dreizehn for pointing out the broken heart and mind difference which I adapted for that last bit.**


	38. Gifts

Lucina decided not to keep following Robin anymore. Once a week of actually talking to him seemed much better than following from a distance. Plus, he was quite safe in the castle she determined.

This meant that she had much more time to both earn a living, and to work on her carving once again. She wanted to make him something nice, but she was not sure what. Another bird would be a little too close to home for her, so she decided on something else.

She had plenty of experience making practice swords for her training sessions with Robin. Most of these were very basic and bland, however, she did occasionally attempt making more intricate designs. Robin even gave her a book cataloging different weapons from across the legends and ages including a sketch of Marth's Falchion and the Radiant Hero's Ragnell. It was quite fascinating, and she decided to attempt one of those ancient weapons.

The question was: which one? Should she go with the ancient Falchion? The brutal Ragnell? Or perhaps the fiery Sword of Seals? Well, that last one was probably beyond her skill level, and she would have to make it from memory after all. Ragnell was a fairly simply design, but it was also huge which would make it cumbersome to work with. However, an older Falchion might make him ask questions.

It took much deliberation, but she finally decided to take her chances with the Falchion. She started with a fairly large piece of wood to accommodate the guard. She modeled the blade after her own, so that was fairly easy, but the hilt was another story entirely. She could not remember the fine details, but she remembered the general design. It took several hours of work, but she believed that she now had a passable likeness to her blade's former appearance. She just hoped that Robin liked it, not that he would tell her if he did not.

* * *

Robin tried to make his visit this week look much less conspicuous, but he was having trouble finding a way to do that. No matter what he did, it just looked suspicious, so he settled with trying not to be seen which in and of itself would look suspicious if he were caught.

He periodically checked to make sure that his pouch was still securely in his pocket. He did not particularly like carrying that much around with him, but he wanted to make sure that Caeda got it.

He weaved in and out of the crowds as he made his way to the outskirts of the city. He could see the difference between the end of the war and now. Ylisstol had been severely damaged during the war, but the reconstruction was going well and the people were once again starting to thrive. He was not directly involved with the civilian side of the reconstruction, but he was glad to see it progressing well nonetheless.

Finally, Robin made it to the rendezvous spot-early this time, but she was still there before him. They shared a cordial greeting before Caeda handed him something wrapped in a bundle of cloth.

Robin unfolded the fabric to reveal a wooden sword. He gave it a few test swings, "Did you make this?"

"Yes, I modeled it after the legendary blade Falchion. Though I had to do so from memory."

"Falchion? Doesn't look like the Falchion I know."

"It is modeled after the version that the hero-king Marth used, or, what some believe it looked like. There is some debate as to its original appearance, but this is generally the most widely accepted appearance."

"Interesting," he looked from the sword to her, "So how have you been?"

"Fine, thank you. I have had more time since I have stopped…"

"Following me?"

"Yes," she went slightly red.

"Well, you certainly have a talent here," he gave the replica a once over, "Oh, and before I forget," he removed the pouch that he had carefully guarded on the way and tossed it to her.

"What is it?" she felt the hefty pouch.

"Money for you to buy some casual clothes. You would attract a fair amount of attention as you are."

"Oh," she looked down at her very blue attire, "I suppose you are right." She looked inside the pouch, "This is far too much for a single set of clothes."

"I know. Treat yourself to…something. Whatever you like. Maybe some paint for more replicas"

"That is generous, but–"

Robin stopped her with his hand, "It's fine, Chrom pays me enough for a small family to live comfortably. I think he might be trying to give me a hint that I need to get a family. Hopefully he won't kick me out if I don't get one soon."

"I do not think he would do that."

"No," Robin gave a soft laugh, "Of course not, but you do seem to know me and my friends quite well. I feel like I'm at a bit of a disadvantage."

"Robin…"

"I know, I know, you have your reasons."

"…Perhaps I could answer a few…less important questions."

"Alright," Robin decided to test the waters, "How old are you."

"Eighteen and a few months."

"That young, huh," he noticed her raise her brow and decided it best to move on. They spent the rest of the evening going back and forth. Despite her evasion of some issues, Robin found that he really enjoyed simply…talking to her. He enjoyed a good conversation most of the time, but for some reason, talking with her just felt…right.

 **A/N: I gave which sword she should do some though, and I eventually did settle on Marth's Falchion (I even referenced how it had two designs before Awakening). At least she didn't try Tyrfing's Awakening design.**

 **Okay, maybe I've been a little heavy on Robin's buried feelings and such. I have an idea of how to proceed here, but I'm not entirely sure. Let me just ask, how would you take it if Lucina left for a bit due to…(spoilers)? It would be until her usual appearance in-game.**


	39. Getting Closer

Robin's weeks seemed to get faster with each visit with Caeda. After only two such visits, the difference in his mood was already becoming apparent. Frankly, he was somewhat worried about how drastically she affected him, though his concerns were not so much as to keep him from continuing their visits.

Through all of the meetings, reports, and signatures, the next visit could not come soon enough for him. Lunch with Cordelia was pleasant as usual, but he had just about given up on the idea of entering a romantic relationship with her. Whatever the reason, his feelings for her had dwindled at an incredible pace during the past two weeks.

They were still on for the festival, but he was content just going as friends…with Cordelia that was. He was contemplating asking Caeda to accompany him for part of it. It went on for several hours, surely Cordelia would understand if he took an hour or two to spend with someone else.

* * *

The next time Lucina met with Robin, she was dressed as unassumingly as she could manage. While she naturally leaned toward the more extravagant designs, she had learned how to curb that habit in Arton in favor of practicality.

"I see you've done some shopping."

"Yes, I hope it is sufficiently unassuming."

"It's fine. I was hoping that we might walk around town and see some of the sights. I spend so much time in the castle that I haven't actually got around to touring much of the city."

"Are you sure that is wise?"

"If you don't want to, then we can do something else, but if it's the Shepherds you're worried about, I think I can avoid them."

"If you think so. I have not spent much time in the city proper myself."

"Then it should be interesting."

* * *

They enjoyed their day, or, at least she enjoyed herself. It seemed almost like all of her troubles were a world away. For a brief time, she could relax and enjoy herself despite the concerns in the back of her mind nagging at her.

They simply talked while exploring the market mostly. He offered to buy her something multiple times, but she refused every time. She did not wish to be a burden. This time together was enough for her.

"It's getting late," he noted, "We should probably get you home. Where are you staying?"

"Is that appropriate?"

"Well, I think I should make sure that you get home safely, but if you don't trust my motives…"

"No, I trust you," _more than you know_ , "But I would not want anyone to get the wrong idea."

"I won't be going inside," he reassured, "I just want to escort you as any gentleman should."

How could she say no to that? "Very well."

* * *

Compared to the castle, her abode with the elderly couple was nothing special. It kept the rain out, and it blocked the wind at least. Robin, however, did not seem very impressed with her living conditions in the shed in someone's back yard.

"This won't do," he looked at the gaps in the boards that made up the wall, "You'll freeze to death this winter!"

"I will be fine," it was far better than what she had for most of her childhood.

"I'd rather not take that chance. If it's a matter of money, I'd be willing to help you out with it."

"This is a kind offer, but I do not wish to be an inconvenience."

"I already told you that Chrom pays me too much, I can easily afford it. Besides, what are friends for?"

Friends…that was a start, "I will consider it."

* * *

Robin breathed a sigh of relief as he made it back to his room. That last thing he needed was gossip, and he had snuck in rather late this time since he accompanied her back to her…shack.

He knew she was living within limited means and that not everyone could live in a literal castle, but he hated seeing her in such poor conditions. It was not all that terrible in reality, but it would certainly get very cold during the winter and he thought she should have a better place to stay.

As he was preparing to go to bed, he suddenly realized that he forgot to mention the festival. It was too late to go back now though. He would just have to wait until next week. Hopefully she would even say yes.

* * *

Lucina found that sleep was hard to come by as her mind raced. She found it hard to tell if Robin was especially kind to her, or if he was just being his usual self. His behavior seemed promising, but she was afraid that she was just being hopeful.

Experience had taught her to be cautious, especially when something appeared too good to be true, but at the same time, Robin was a weakness of hers even if he did not know it. She may not be able to stay too cautious for very long.

She bundled up in the thin blankets for warmth. She might just take him up on his offer for a place to stay though.

 **A/N: A bit on the short side. Anyway, I've decided to go ahead with my plan. Hopefully it will keep it from being so similar to part one.**

 **I've also come up with another idea. Bear in mind, it will probably be a while before I ever get to it if I do. The idea is what if Lucina lost her memory when she came back and joined the Shepherds without knowing why she was there. Obviously, her brand would probably need to be changed. So, what do you think?**


	40. Duty

Robin dried his face after washing it with the cold water. Tonight was the last time he would see Caeda before the festival, and he wanted to make sure he was presentable. He casually looked out his window at the troops in the training yard.

Frederick was certainly making good progress with the guards. It was nice to see Ylisstol recovering on all fronts. No matter what had happened in his own past, this was his home now, and he was determined that it would not meet the same fate as Arton.

However, while the Shepherds had been like family to him, he often thought about having his own one day. He had no real plans for that-it was really just a vague dream-but he still held out hope that one day he would fall in love, have a few kids, and settle down. Whether or not he would ever actually succeed in that goal, he could not be certain.

He knew not to try and rush it though. For now, he would simply try to enjoy life until he found the one, but part of him wondered if his true love had already perished. If that were the case, then what hope did he have?

* * *

It had taken several tries and resulted in a slight mess, but she believed that she had succeeded. Lucina had borrowed her landlords' kitchen for the project and used leftover funds that Robin had left to buy the necessary ingredients.

She had only witnessed the process a handful of times, but she had done her best to replicate Robin's mother's recipe for that cake he liked so much. The idea of baking a cake was so strange to her then. She was fascinated by the procedure and eagerly observed his mother as she prepared the treat.

It seemed very much like something she would have done with her own mother. In truth, Robin's mother had become like a second mother to her as well. However, in the end, she perished much like her own mother. It seemed that those around her just kept dying…

But she decided that this was no time for such thoughts. She was determined to have a pleasant time tonight. She just hoped that the cake was properly prepared.

* * *

Robin breathed deeply before joining Caeda at their usual meeting spot. They shared the usual greetings, but before he could say anything else, she shoved another bundle into his arms. He smiled as he opened it to reveal a…cake.

He tried a piece and instantly knew that he had a new favorite dessert, "Did you make this?"

"Yes, do you like it?"

"It's great!" he took another piece, "You really didn't have to though."

"Think of it as a thank you gift."

"That is really unnecessary."

"Maybe, but I wanted to. Besides, if you are willing to provide me a place to stay, then it seemed to be the least I could do."

"Does this mean that you have decided to accept my offer?"

"You would probably keep trying to convince me anyway. So, I might as well just accept graciously."

Robin smiled, "Indeed." Then he decided that he should go ahead and get this business about the festival out of the way, "So, um, there's a festival coming up next week, and I was wondering if you would like to go…together."

"Will you not be missed?"

"Well, I won't be able to meet you until after lunch, but I think I can manage it."

"I…think that would be nice."

"That's great!" Robin smiled, "As for getting you an apartment, I've been looking into some possibilities."

* * *

Lucina ended that day happier than she had been in some time. The idea of going to the festival struck so many familiar and happy chords that she just could not help but smile. Plus, the fact that he kept offering such fine apartments on their little tour made her feel a bit special. They were nothing too extravagant she imagined, but if he were normally this loose with his money then she might have a reason to be concerned.

Still, her concerns seemed so trivial now. With each week it seemed more likely that they could mend their relationship; that a happy ending might be just around the corner.

The festival could not come fast enough for Robin, and his attitude for the week leading up to it showed it. He caught himself smiling more for one, but the real tell was his enthusiasm for the coming event.

Most people just smiled and went about their business while the Shepherds seemed to enjoy seeing their tactician so excited. Chrom sent him a knowing smile every now and then, but as per their agreement never said anything.

Robin later found out that Cordelia had planned out a full day of activities. He could see the work that had gone into making such a plan which made it all the harder for him when he had to explain that he still wanted to make time for others. It was true-he fully intended to spend time with some of the Shepherds before meeting up with Caeda. Still, he promised to make it up to her after seeing how forlorn she looked after he told her.

When the actual festival came, Robin was more than eager to start the day. He met up with the royal couple before breakfast as their day was full of formal appearances and he was unlikely to meet them later on.

He then met Cordelia for a proper breakfast. She seemed determined not to let her disappointment show, but Robin could tell that she was unhappy. She must have put quite a large amount of work into those plans to be so upset about having to break them. Robin made sure to reaffirm that he would make it up to her.

Regardless of the rocky start, Robin enjoyed himself during their time together. The stalls were full of interesting wares, and there was even the occasional show. It was all quite festive. Plus, she was pleasant company as always.

However, it was soon time for him to make his leave. Cordelia's mood had improved as the day went, but she seemed to completely regress when it came time for him to leave. Robin really could not figure out why she was taking this so badly, but that was a mystery for another time. For now, he would have lunch with some of the guys from the Shepherds before heading off to meat Caeda.

While he enjoyed the company of his friends, he was all too anxious to meet up with Caeda by that point. Some of them may have picked up on that-he received a friendly tease or two-but he simply brushed them off without thinking of the consequences of one of them taking it seriously.

When he finally did meet up with Caeda, he put all of his effort into not acting like a lumbering idiot. Thankfully, she seemed too taken by the festivities to notice his sudden bout of awkwardness. All in all, he was having the time of his life.

The way she marveled at the smallest thing just made his day ten times over. Though every time he realized that, it pushed him closer towards an undeniable fact: he was smitten. Now, he was not ready for the wedding bells just yet, but it was obvious that he was infatuated. Whether or not that was healthy, he had no idea, but he was leaning towards "no."

However, every time he saw her smile he suddenly found himself not caring about that. He was willing to see where his feelings led him even if the destination was not certain. It was unusual for him to risk such an unknown, but she had a way of making him less than rational it seemed.

"That was delightful," she smiled happily as he escorted her back to her abode-they were still working out her new living arrangements.

"I'm glad that you liked it."

"I did. Thank you."

"It wasn't much. I actually enjoy spending time with you."

"Well, thank you regardless. It means a lot to me."

"You're quite–"

"Robin!" the duo was interrupted by the familiar voice, "Fancy meeting you here." The wing commander turned to Caeda, "Oh, who's your fri…Marth?"

"Um, I think I should go," Caeda made to leave in a hurry as her cover was blown, but Robin wanted none of that.

"Wait, Caeda, don't go," she turned and said something before leaving, but in that moment Robin finally got a good look into her eyes, and what he saw left him in too deep of shock to immediately respond or give chase.

"Robin," Cordelia's voice sounded off, but Robin was too preoccupied to give it much thought, "Why have you been seeing Marth?"

"I'll explain later," was the only reply he gave before pursuing Caeda.

* * *

Lucina left almost on reflex. Her cover was blown, and she was almost certain that Robin saw her brand. She had been so careful to avoid direct eye contact, but she was so eager to leave that she did not think first.

What should she do? How would he react? She looked at her Falchion. Had she been neglecting her duty anyway? Grima was still out there and she still needed to find a way to stop it. Duty first. It was what she had been taught by tutors and life ever since she was a child. Maybe it was time she saw her duty through. Perhaps her destiny simply did not include happiness.

 **A/N: I considered a different reason for Lucina leaving, but her sense of duty really seems like the most logical thing to go with (at this point she cares more for Robin than her parents I would say). I personally think it may be a little abrupt, but it's getting the plot rolling at the very least.**


	41. Work

It had been several weeks since Caeda vanished. Robin wanted to track her down, but how could he? Instead, he threw himself into his work and his social life suffered as a result.

His breakfasts with Chrom and Sumia had dwindled to one a week while his lunches with Cordelia were sporadic at best; he simply had too much work to do. He did not mean to be reclusive, but he needed to keep his mind occupied.

He was vaguely aware of some of the Shepherd's attempts to get him out of his office, but he just kept working. If he stayed focus on that then it was easier to keep his mind from wandering toward unpleasant territory.

He was so enraptured by his work that he was not sure how long someone had been knocking at his door, but judging by the intensity of the knocks, they had been there for a while.

"Robin, open this door, or I will break it down!" it was Cordelia. She was there that night…Robin really did not want any reminders-nor did he need them as he remembered enough on his own-but she sounded concerned. He should at least make her feel better even if he was a lost cause.

So he got up and opened the door to reveal the wing commander about to start knocking again.

"Robin! How long are you going to hide away in here?"

"There is work to be done."

"Yes, but you don't have to work yourself to death to do it," she paced over to his desk and took note of the various papers strewn about his desk. She sighed and continued in a much softer tone, "It's about… _her_ , isn't it?"

"…yeah. She left and I don't know where to."

"Did you love her?"

This time it was Robin's turn to sigh, "I don't know. Maybe. Guess I'll never know now."

Cordelia thought hard for a few moments before speaking again, "I think I should apologize."

"Apologize? What for?"

"That night, at the festival, I was looking for you. If I had not come, maybe she would have stayed."

"You…why?"

"Because," she swallowed hard, "Never mind why, but it's my fault that she left you."

"Cordelia…don't worry about it. You had no way of knowing how she would react." He grabbed his coat, "Now, come on."

"Where are we going?"

"I promised that I'd make the festival up to you, remember. I think I can sneak away for a few hours. If you're up to it."

"I…sure."

* * *

Things improved after Cordelia's visit, but Robin still threw himself into his work. He was more sociable, but his closest friends could tell that something was not right. However, the only two that he felt he could talk to about it was Chrom and Cordelia since they already knew something, but he would never reveal anything about Caeda that they did not know. Besides, he did not care to talk about it at all.

One positive that came from his situation was that the reconstruction went much quicker. In fact, he made so much progress with the military that he started to lend his logistical abilities to the civilian reconstruction as well.

As he buried himself in his work, time continued to pass. Wounds began to heal for the others while he tried to forget-an irony not lost on him. Chrom and Sumia were graced with a daughter who they named Lucina and had a most curious brand placement…odd.

Soon after the royal princess' birth, word came from Flavia that she wanted to meet with Chrom. Frederick left to round up the Shepherds not in the capital while Robin prepared for what they might be in for. If Flavia wanted the Shepherds so urgently, then it could be nothing good.

* * *

Lucina spent her time training. She had little in the ways of researching ways to defeat Grima, so she spent her time training herself and honing her skills. She had been able to study Feroxian styles, as well as reinforcing her knowledge of Ylissean styles, and she had even learned a little of Plegian fighting styles. She even occasionally practiced with using two swords. Maneuvering two blades with precision definitely required a good deal of stamina and was to only be used in an emergency, but she hoped that it would give her an edge if she ever needed one.

While not a top priority, she also practiced her archery. It helped with hunting, and she had become a capable shot.

However, it seemed that her time training would soon be coming to an end. She had kept her ears close to the ground, and rumor had it that something was stirring in Regna Ferox. It was possibly the Valmese, and if that were the case, she intended to make sure her father made it through. She would be watching the Shepherds closely…even if that meant being close to _him_ again.

 **A/N: While M!Robin and Lucina is my "OTP" as it were (obviously), I am willing to open up and do a short story or two for another pairing or two. To that end, I will give you three other choices for his love interest and gauge interest. I fully expect Cordelia to win, but that doesn't mean I won't get to the others. That said, there's no guarantee that I will do any of them if I can't think of a decent plot. Anyway, your choices are Cordelia, Tiki, and Cherche.**

 **Also, be glad that I didn't decide to add Cordelia to the characters list and remove the pairing bracket from Robin and Lucina just to mess with you.**


	42. An Uncomfortable Reunion

It had certainly been quite the night for Robin. First he met a doppelganger of himself, then he learned of his potential father before being attack by Risen, and then finally "Caeda" showed up with one very important slip of the tongue.

It was certainly odd, but after Lucina had been born, he did consider it. It seemed to ludicrous, yet here he was. Out of all the theories he had crafted-and he had made many-of course this one had to be the accurate one.

Her return dredged up a lot of memories he would rather have forgotten, but it seemed that life would not be so kind to him after all. She was currently explaining the issue to who he could only assume were her parents, and, judging by their interactions, she was here to stay.

Robin turned his back to the trio. This was their moment, not his.

* * *

"Well," Chrom smiled as the emotions died down a bit, "I take it this means that you will be staying with us."

"Yes," Lucina nodded though she realized what that meant, however, her parents now knew about her and she could do more if she were in the Shepherds. It was logical to stay now.

"Glad to hear it," Chrom flashed her a truly happy smile, "First thing tomorrow morning we need to make it official. You'll need to talk to Robin of course."

"I will?" she was hoping to put that off for as long as possible.

"Well, it's standard procedure for any new recruits to meet him. He likes to get a feel for who they are and what they can do. Not to mention the more official matters to attend to. Cherche has already had her little interview."

"Very well," she swallowed hard.

* * *

Lucina kept her face forward as she stood in front of Robin's makeshift desk while he analyzed her with those unreadable brown eyes.

"So…'father,' huh?" he finally broke the silence as he pushed up from his chair and went over to the tent flap and closed it which was the universal sign amongst the Shepherds of "Go away."

"Yes," she kept standing at attention as he retook his place at his desk.

"Well, that explains the brand at least, and why you took off." She said nothing; she did not know what to say, "You know, as much as I want to be angry with you, what you did makes a certain amount of sense. Why would you divulge the fact that you were a time traveler to me after all? With your cover potentially blown, it made sense for you to leave before the hard questions came. My question is: why even accept my offer of friendship in the first place?"

"I–" She could not tell him why…could she? "I probably should not have, but I was…eager for the company."

"I see," he rubbed his chin in thought, "And now? Are you here to stay?"

"I intend to see to it that Grima does not end triumphant."

"And will we have any problems? Are you willing to follow my orders in combat?"

"Yes."

"Then welcome to the Shepherds. Assignments are given prior to combat; make sure that you attend all briefings. Dismissed." He started looking at some papers. Not knowing what to say, she quickly vacated the tent.

* * *

As soon as she was gone, Robin cast the paper aside with a sigh. Maybe he was too harsh with her. She did have valid reasoning for what she did, but part of him wished that she would have trusted him with her secret.

Robin scoffed; what reason would she have to tell him? Just because he had felt so strongly about her did not mean that she felt the same way about him. Maybe he had spent too much time hiding from his feelings, and not enough time dealing with them.

* * *

Lucina was not sure what to make of that conversation. Robin seemed so…different, so cold. Was he that upset with her, or had her departure had that profound of an effect on him? Maybe she should not have left…

No, she had to be prepared for what was to come. She had found her focus after she left, and yet she already found it cracking. She had a mission to accomplish though; a mission that took priority over everything else…even her; _especially_ her.

 **A/N: Cordelia started with a good lead, but Tiki has managed an upset while Cherche hangs back with no votes. I will be keeping track of the ballot until the end of this story and will provide updates at the end of each chapter assuming I don't forget. I have an idea about Tiki, but it is looking like it might focus more on Tiki and her mother than Tiki and Robin.**

 **Anyways, the standings:**

 **Tiki 8**

 **Cordelia 4**

 **Cherche 0**


	43. Trouble on the Blue

The Shepherds had been at sea for a little over a week, and Robin was still feeling guilty about how he treated Lucina. It was not fair of him to treat the situation like they were seeing each other. He groaned as he leaned back in his chair before pushing himself up. It was time he manned up and fixed this.

Lucina was not hard to find. She was usually either training or helping with chores. She was certainly efficient, he had to give her that.

After watching her for several minutes and coming to the conclusion that she was not going to stop any time soon, he cleared his throat.

"Hmm," she finally took note of his presence, "Robin? Do you need something?"

"Ah, kinda," he steadied his breathing, "I wanted to apologize for the way I acted when you first joined the Shepherds. I guess I was a bit more upset than I would like to admit."

"It is alright," she assured.

"Thank you," he shuffled awkwardly, "Well, if there is nothing else…"

"Robin," she stopped him but hesitated after he faced her, "…I did enjoy our talks. Perhaps we could still have them from time to time."

Robin smiled despite himself, "Sure, from time to time. We could–"

"All hands on deck!"

"What do you think is going on?" Lucina questioned as the Shepherds started to heed Frederick's call.

"Nothing good," Robin replied darkly, "I think it may be time for one of those briefings I told you about."

* * *

"That's…troubling," Chrom commented upon hearing the report of the enemies strength from the fliers, "Robin?"

"Honestly, I was expecting something like this," he looked up from where he stood in thought, "I have a plan, but it would be…risky."

"How bad could it be?" Basillio laughed off the potential danger.

"Well," Robin started, "We'll need oil and a way to light it."

Basillio stopped laughing, "Are you daft, boy? We have no catapults."

"I know."

* * *

Lucina was not sure how she felt about this plan. It seemed incredibly dangerous, but she knew better than to question his tactical decisions. She had certainly lost enough simulations to him. Still, she had her reservations about a maneuver so risky.

As she was getting ready, she noticed Robin walking down the deck checking on the Shepherds making sure that they were ready to go. Then he stopped in front of her. "Are you ready?"

"I believe so," she sheathed her Falchion to demonstrate her point.

"Good," he nodded, "Unfortunately, I haven't found you a teammate yet, so you'll have to go in alone. Just stick close to Chrom, and he will look after you."

"Thank you, I will."

He nodded and walked further up the deck until he met up with Cordelia. The flier gave Lucina an accusing glare before turning her attention back to the tactician. Lucina herself felt a little jealous of the flier getting to fight with Robin, but she could not worry about that now; they had an objective to accomplish.

* * *

Fighting on a ship was certainly tight. Lucina struggled just to find enough room to swing her blade at times, but she still managed to be one of the most proficient fighters in the Shepherds thanks to her strenuous training the past few months.

Despite her new found focus, she still found her gaze wandering to their tactician just to make sure that he was safe. It was a habit that she really needed to break. A point that became incessantly clear after a bolt of electricity flew past her shoulder and into an approaching Valmese soldier who was preparing to attack her while she was distracted.

"Watch your back," Robin admonished before turning his attention back to his own problems. Lucina berated herself. She knew that! She was distracted, and she made a novice mistake. Gritting her teeth, she threw herself back into the fray with renewed determination.

* * *

"Alright, we're set!" Chrom bellowed as the order for all the Shepherds to fall back. As they broke away from the Valmese ships, the prince turned to the tactician, "Are the mages ready?"

Robin pulled out a fire tome, "I'll be handling these, but, yes, the mages are in position across the fleet."

"Right then," Chrom breathed, "Let's do it then."

Robin did not speak. Instead, he prepared is spell as they split away from the Valmese Armada. Once they were at a safe distance, he fired his spell at the enemy flagship signaling the rest of the fleet to light their ships and evacuate to the other ships.

By the time they got back to the rest of their fleet, the Valmese Armada was already up in flames. The fires painted the ocean a glowing orange as the massive assembly of vessels went up in flames.

Robin was congratulated on the success of his plan, but he did not reply. Instead he kept his eyes trained on the burning armada while most did their best to ignore it. Lucina followed his gaze to the carnage on the sea as people jumped from their ships in a futile attempt to save themselves. The screams were faint at this distance, but if one listened hard enough, they could be heard. Lucina wondered if Robin heard anything else.

With nary a word, he turned and went below decks and Lucina started to realize why the Shepherds did not talk about this, at least not to her. He tried to hide it, but this had to be destroying him. He was breaking on the inside.

 **A/N: Oh, if your guest review is purely for voting, don't be surprised if it doesn't get approved. I'll still count the vote, but if the review doesn't really say anything about the story, there is really not much reason to keep it aside from rechecking the votes.**

 **Anyway, the standings:**

 **Tiki: 9**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**


	44. Questions and Doubts

The Ylisseans were scrambling about the newly liberated Valm Harbor in an attempt to unload all of the men and supplies from the ships in preparation for the coming land war. A war which they may not be forced to fight alone if what Say'ri said was any indication. Lucina vaguely remembered mention of a foreign princess in the Shepherds' tales, but whether she simply stayed in Valm or perished during the war, she did not know.

However, that was not her main concern at the moment. Robin was still down after the battle with the armada. He hid it well, but she knew him better than most-quite possibly even better than he knew himself-and she could tell that he was still deeply troubled.

She had finally decided that she needed to do something. Even if he could pull them through the war with this hanging over his head, Robin being in an emotionally weak state made him especially vulnerable to Grima…probably. She was not entirely certain how that all worked, but she imagined that it would work that way.

Regardless, she needed to find a way to help him, and, being the direct person she was, she decided on the direct approach. She waited until she could find him alone which was admittedly not hard the past few days and went to see him.

"Robin, may I have a word?"

"Lucina," he looked up from his papers, "I'm sorry, but I'm not really in the mood right now."

Refusing to let this go so easily, the princess stood her ground, "Robin, we both know that something is wrong."

"And what would that be?"

"You feel guilty about the attack on the Valmese Armada."

Robin dropped his quill and leaned back in his seat, "And why shouldn't I? Thousands of people, gone, because of me."

"You cannot think that way. You did what you had to do. Their fleet had to be stopped before it could bring devastation to Ylisse."

"I know, and that's what I keep telling myself, but the thing is…given the same choice, I know that I would do it again. What does that make me?"

"It makes you big enough to make the hard decisions. You are a good man; the fact that this bothers you so much is proof of that."

"You seem to know me awfully well," he looked her in the eyes, "I take it that this comes from your future."

"Some of it."

"And the rest?"

He was too close, "I think I should be going," she quickly started backing toward the door, "Please, keep what I said in mind."

"I will, and…thank you," she quickly nodded before leaving.

* * *

Robin stared at the door of his temporary office for a while after Lucina had left. How did she know so much about him? She always seemed to have an immense advantage over him which was to be expected from a time traveler, but she seemed to know him incredibly well for someone who would have been significantly younger than himself. Perhaps he outlived most of the other Shepherds and that was how she knew more about him, but did not explain his own familiarity.

He had noticed that she also seemed familiar in some manner, though it was hard to explain. Could…

Well, at least he had something to occupy his mind now.

* * *

Lucina wandered around the harbor looking for some task to help occupy her mind from how close Robin had just seemingly come to the truth of the matter of their relationship. She was not ready for that yet, and if it were to be revealed that she knew him before, she did not know how he would take it. Not to mention that fact that she withheld that information.

As she was walking through town, she ended up meeting up with her mother.

"Lucina, there you are! I've been looking all over for you."

"I am sorry to cause you any trouble mother."

"It's nothing. I just wanted to see if you wanted to join me for lunch."

"I would be honored," that would also work as a distraction.

They found a nice little place nearby that was more than happy to host the liberators of the town. The extra business did not hurt either.

"So," her mother began, "What have you been doing since you came to the past?"

"I have spent the past several months training and honing my skills with the blade."

"I see," she did not seem entirely happy with that answer, "When did you arrive in our time anyway?"

"I've been here for a few years," Lucina sipped her tea hoping to evade this line of questioning.

"You're being awfully vague," Sumia noted before she took a bite of her fish.

"I have my reasons," Lucina cut into her fish before taking a bite. It was quite good actually.

"Then let's talk about something else," they went on for a long while-Lucina lost track of the time-before they finally left. It was nice getting to talk to her mother once more, but she was also terrified of losing her too. She had already lost both of her parents and a mother figure in Robin's mother as well as losing the love of her life, twice; she was not sure if she could handle another loss, and her life was filled with nothing if not loss.

 **A/N: It may seem like Robin recovered awfully quickly, but I assure you that that plot point is not done yet.**

 **Also, I have another story idea that I want feedback on (don't give me that look). I was thinking of Robin being voluntold (Word apparently considers that a word. Who knew?) to help the future children adjust by taking them on an extending outing. Just something I've thought of a few times. Again, it probably wouldn't be anytime soon, but if you would like to see it, let me know.**

 **Now for the standings:**

 **Tiki: 12**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**

 **Tiki really seems to be running away with it.**


	45. Love Unrequited

The Ylissean League had been successful in their attempt to liberate the Mila Tree. After a meeting with Tiki-who Robin admitted looked _very_ good for her age-they had made camp near the base of the massive tree. Tomorrow they would begin the next phase of the invasion.

He had already submitted the plans for approval, but that was more or less just a formality at this point. Now, his mind was preoccupied with the matter of Lucina's possible connection to himself. She hid it well enough, but she seemed to act differently around him. For one, she actually talked to him. He had considered asking the other Shepherds if she had so much knowledge about them, but he soon realized that she rarely ever talked to anyone who was not her parents or occasionally himself.

She was clearly good at keeping quiet, so why did she break that rule and talk to him? Her parents made sense since they were, well, her parents, but why him? What made him so special? Was it really a chance encounter when she saved him from that bandit? Also, she slipped every once in a while during their conversations. He distinctly recalled that she once mentioned how much he hated cabbage despite the fact that he never told her that. Granted, she could have learned that from the future, but he still wondered how she came across this knowledge.

Then there was how familiar she seemed. Even to this day, he felt a tingling of familiarity every time he looked at her, and it was getting harder to ignore. That seemed to indicate that they may have met before he lost his memory.

It was possible, he supposed, since she never stated exactly when she arrived in the past. However, even if they did know each other, he had no idea what exactly their relationship was, but…could that really be? Just what happened in those lost memories of his?

"Robin," said tactician looked up from where he had been staring blankly to see Cordelia approaching, "Are you okay? You look troubled."

"I was just thinking."

She took a seat on the log next to him, "About Lucina?"

He gave her a sidelong glance, "Yeah."

"So have you two…patched things up?"

"Sort of. We're on speaking terms, but…I just don't know. Not that I ever do with her."

"Then I take it that you haven't figured your feelings out yet."

"I'm afraid not, but you shouldn't concern yourself with that."

"That is not as easy as you might think…" she half mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I'm sorry, it was nothing."

"It was most certainly not nothing," Robin sat up straight, "What's wrong?"

"I…" she hesitated, but decided to continue with a new determination, "how long have we been partners?"

Robin raised his brow, "We became partners shortly after you joined the Shepherds, over two years ago."

"And in that time, what have you thought of me?"

He thought that this line of questioning was rather odd, but he answered nonetheless, "I thought you were an amazingly proficient fighter at first. As time went on, I have come to consider you one of my closest friends."

"And…is that all?" she looked at him in anticipation.

"All?"

Cordelia sighed, "You know, you can be as bad as Chrom."

"As bad as…wait, you mean that…"

"Yes," she stared at her boots, "The reason that I took Chrom's marriage so well was because I had fallen for another man."

"…me…"

"Yes, but it would seem that I am just destined to always love unrequited." She stood with another, deeper, sigh, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

She started moving away, but Robin refused to let this end like this. He stood himself and grabbed her forearm causing her to stop in her tracks and look back at him, but then he realized that he really had no idea what to say.

"I…didn't tell you everything. For a time, I had a bit of a crush on you, but I…it's just…I don't know why but something about Lucina just…draws me. I can't really explain it, but being with her feels right. I'm sorry, you're a truly beautiful woman who excels at almost everything you put your mind to; you're kind, you're smart, and you are great person, but…I just don't feel that way about you. However, I'm sure that you have your fair share of admirers."

She huffed self-debasingly as her shoulders slumped slightly, "I doubt that."

"Why? I doubted that you could have feelings for me, but it turns out that you did. Who knows what would have happened had I said something earlier; all it takes is the courage to act."

"Hmph, maybe," she collected herself with some deep breaths, "I'm sorry I unloaded that on you all of the sudden; it's just…having Lucina near kept reminding me that you…well, you know."

"I understand. Truth be told, I still don't know why I feel the way I do around her. I have a theory, but nothing solid."

"If anyone can figure it out, you can."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence," Robin stared into the fire, "I just wish I knew what was going on."

 **A/N: I needed to tidy up the Cordelia situation, and I didn't really have anything for this part of the story for a few in-game chapters. I have since come up for something for Fort Stieger though.**

 **Anyway, the current standings:**

 **Tiki: 13**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**


	46. Averting Tragedy

Robin had to admit that Fort Stieger was an impressive feat of engineering. However, while the size was indeed impressive, it was by no means impregnable-few structures were. Thanks to some resistance operatives, they had their way in, the problem would be clearing it of enemy forces. They would be dividing their forces in three to cover all major routes through the fortress structure. At least they had support en route, but Robin was not relying too heavily on that support.

As the Shepherds cleared out from the briefing, Chrom approached the tactician, "I wanted to speak with you about Beta Team."

That was the team that Lucina had been assigned to, "Yes?"

"I would feel better if you led it."

"Me? Why?"

"I need to be on the front lines, but I want you there to look after Lucina."

"I think she can take care of herself. Besides, it makes sense for me to be in the middle so that I can receive status updates from both sides in roughly the same amount of time."

"I know, but if you have no major objections, I would still rather you were there with her."

Robin sighed, "I'll need to adjust the roster, but, no, I have no _major_ objections."

Chrom smiled, "Thank you."

* * *

Lucina checked her armor once more before getting into formation. She was at the forefront of her team's offensive which meant that she could not afford for anything to go wrong. Just as she finished her preparations, she noticed Robin walking through the team's ranks. Strange, she was certain that he was on her father's team.

"Robin," she called out, "Are you inspecting the troops?"

"Yes, but I've also been…assigned to lead Beta Team."

"What?"

"It seems that Chrom would feel better with someone to keep an eye on you."

"I see," she looked around, "Where is Cordelia?" she assumed that they would both be joining even if she was not particularly fond of the idea.

"Unfortunately, I couldn't spare her on Alpha team, so it looks like we'll be fighting together this time."

The news was welcome by Lucina. After all, she had helped train him early on, surely she was entitled to fight by his side at least once. Hopefully having him close by would also help to quell her need to check on him so much. Something she still struggled with in the past two battles.

She still felt uneasy about the coming battle though. She had never assaulted such a large structure before. It was certainly intimidating, but she had faith in Robin's abilities.

Once they got the signal, all three teams moved in at the same time. The resistance they met was fortunately minimal thanks to the distraction that Robin had planned for the Valmese main forces.

They made their way to the room where they were set to meet with the resistance fighters. Something about this battle felt eerily familiar. She had obviously never actually been here before, but it was starting to bear a startling resemblance to one of the worst stories that she had been told regarding the Valmese campaign. It was a tale that struck uncomfortably close to home.

By the time the resistance fighters joined them, she was anxiously gripping Falchion's hilt. If this was the battle from that story, then these people were actually…

"Robin!" she pulled the tactician aside while he was talking with the resistance leader.

"Lucina, what are you doing?"

"I think that they may be about to betray us."

"What?" Robin responded in a hushed tone, "Are you certain."

"No, but ever since this mission started, it has reminded me of a story about the Valmese War. Since I was so young when I heard the story, I was never told the fort's name, but I believe that this is the fort I was told about."

Robin adopted a very serious expression as he thought over what he had been told, "Very well, I'll handle it."

"I need to go," Robin looked at her quizzically, "The story I mentioned was the story of a grave wound my mother suffered at the hands of the traitors. I have to warn them."

Robin looked at her stoically for a moment, "I don't want you going out there alone."

"Robin, I need to leave quickly."

"Stahl!" Robin yelled without looking away from Lucina.

"Yes, sir," he promptly responded as he approached.

"I need you to keep an eye on our guests here. Don't turn your backs to them."

"Huh?"

"I have reason to believe that they are not to be trusted. Spread the word, discreetly."

"Got it."

As Stahl left to complete his mission, Robin turned to Lucina, "Let's go."

"Thank you," Lucina nodded as they left to meet up with Chrom's group.

It was a relatively short distance to the Alpha Team meeting sight from where they were, but they were forced to fight for every inch. They did not have to clear the area at least; they just had to push through.

Unfortunately, that was easier said than done as a group of Valmese were pinning them down. Lucina could feel her desperation growing. She had to hurry! About that time, she saw a streak of yellow dance down the corridor devastating the Valmese as it went. She looked back to see Robin breathing somewhat heavily with the sparks still flickering from his fingers.

"Go!" he commanded, and with a moment of hesitation, she obeyed. She weaved in and out of the remaining enemies, only stopping to dispatch them if they were in her way as she raced toward her mother.

When she darted into the room that her parents were in, they had their backs turned and she saw a resistance fighter aiming his lance toward Chrom's back while no one was looking, but her mother noticed and pushed him out of the way while putting herself in danger. Sumia closed her eyes as she braced for the coming impact which never came. When she opened her eyes, she saw the resistance fighter crumpled on the floor and her daughter standing over him.

"Lucina?" her father spoke after checking up on his wife, "What are you doing here, not that I'm complaining." Lucina explained about the story and her mother's injury. When she was finished Chrom gave orders to warn Team Gamma about the betrayal as the remaining turncoats quickly surrendered after they had lost the element of surprise.

In the midst of her happiness at having saved her mother, she momentarily forgot about Robin, but she quickly remembered, "Robin! He cleared a path for me and he's still out there, we need to help him!"

"Right," Chrom nodded seriously. He personally led their forces to go rescue their tactician who seemed to be holding his own, but he was still looking rather tired when they finally reached him.

"Took your time," Robin breathed as he allowed himself to slide down the wall and rest on the palace floor.

"Sorry about that. Thank you, by the way. Lucina told me what you did."

"Don't mention it," he pulled himself up, but Lucina could tell that he was not recovered.

Fortunately, she was not the only one who noticed, "Oh no, you're sitting this last part out, and don't even bother trying to argue it. We'll be fine on our own for once."

Normally Robin would have still protested, but that spell seemed to have tired him out more than he cared to admit so he just silently nodded. "Father," Lucina spoke up, "I would like to help him get back."

"Good, and make sure he doesn't escape," Chrom smiled as he led the Shepherds out.

Once they were gone, Lucina started supporting Robin on their way back to the secured areas of the fort. "Thank you," she said as they slowly made their way back, "For believing me, and for helping me get to mother in time."

"What are friends for?"

He still considered her a friend? "I…thank you," she did not know what else to say, but she knew that her face still heated up a little at the words. Perhaps some things never did change after all.

 **A/N: Okay, so maybe things would have changed so that this wouldn't happen, but let's just say that it did. Plus, it allows her to use some more of her more extensive knowledge of the future that she has in this story. Also, this makes up for why Cynthia was never born yet Lucina remembered her mother: that spear would have injured Sumia in a way so that she could not conceive anymore.**

 **Standings:**

 **Tiki: 14**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**


	47. Guilt

The Shepherds had just cleared the fort when a messenger brought word of their distraction forces. Needless to say, it had not gone over well. Lucina could see Robin's fist clenching to the point that his arms were shaking. In an attempt to bring him out of it, she put her hand on his shoulder getting his attention which seemed to do the trick as he got right to work devising their escape.

Meanwhile Lucina just looked on at the tactician, too lost in thought to pay attention to what was being said. All she could think about was how that he was almost certainly blaming himself for all of those deaths. She wanted to help him, but was she any better?

She knew that the Valmese War ran incredibly high casualties, but to say too much might throw them on a different path; one where they did not win. Her knowledge of the conflict was also shaky at best which just made it all the more risky to make major changes to the timeline. Sometimes she wondered if she were doing the right thing, but she also knew that they had to win this war.

Her reverie was broken by a deep belly laugh coming from Basilio. Basilio…her eyes widened…could it be? He was volunteering for what was essentially a suicide mission which was undoubtedly Robin's suggestion if his dark expression was anything to go by. He already had enough guilt weighing him down, could he really stand to be responsible for the death of a Khan and friend?

She decided to make that decision for him; she could not afford to have him stewing in guilt after all. Plus, she hated seeing him like that.

"What's the hold up, lass?" Basilio raised his brow as she stepped in front of him.

"I cannot let you go."

"Let me guess, I bite it out there, don't I?" He seemed so nonchalant about this.

"Y-yes."

"Tell me, how do I die then?"

"You fall to Walhart. At least, so the story goes."

Much to Lucina's surprise, he let out another belly laugh, "At least I don't end up on some farmer's pitchfork. That would have been a disappointing end."

"Sir Basilio–"

"Relax, I'll just stay away from Walhart."

"I'm afraid it may not be that simple."

"Don't worry," this time it was Flavia who spoke, "I'll look after him."

They went back and forth for a while before Basilio finally relented much to the dismay of Lucina. Not only had she failed to keep Basilio from going, but now Flavia would be going with him. She watched on in failure as they both left, but at least it was her failure and not Robin's.

* * *

Despite the unpleasant circumstances of their escape, they had successfully put some distance between themselves and the enemy, but they were still closing. Robin had come up with a strategy for engaging Yen'fay's army, but he still needed some reconnaissance on the enemy movements so that he could be optimally prepared. Unfortunately, most of the Pegasus Knights had been with the diversionary forces, however, Sumia and Cordelia would have been enough, but there was one small snag: Sumia had come down with a sickness.

Lissa assured them that it was non-life threatening, but she still should not be flying which meant that they were down to one flier for the mission. Cherche could not make up the slack either since wyverns cold-blooded nature meant that they did not fair well at the heights that the pegasi needed to reach in order to be safe from archers.

Cordelia insisted she could do it, but that was not the problem. The problem was doing it in a timely manner, and for that, they needed a minimum of two fliers.

"I can do it," Lucina interrupted the incessant debating going on over the maps causing everyone to stop and stare at her.

"You can?" Robin spoke first.

"Mother taught me how to ride when I was younger; I believe that I can do it."

"This is not some training mission," Cordelia cut in a bit more harshly than she usually spoke.

"I know, but we are short on options."

That seemed to cause them to reconsider, "She's got a point," Robin admitted with a sigh.

"But the only pegasus available is Sumia's, and she can be…ornery," Chrom seemed to be reliving an unpleasant memory.

"I believe that I can subdue her, with a little help from mother."

Chrom looked hard for a moment, "I don't see that we have much of a choice."

Robin sighed seemingly unhappy about the development, "Alright, you need to leave first thing in the morning."

"I understand."

* * *

Robin had trouble sleeping that night. This time it was not just his usual guilt that plagued him, but now he was afraid for Lucina going on that scouting mission. She was out of practice to say the least. A few informal lessons with her mother-no matter how skilled she was-did not make up for the years of training that Pegasus Knights usually underwent. To say he was concerned would have been an understatement.

The next morning brought little relief as he went to see Cordelia and Lucina off. By the time he had arrived, Lucina had already mounted her mother's pegasus, and they looked about ready to take off. Lucina had opted to keep her traditional armor.

"Stay safe out there," Robin told them, "No unnecessary risks, and good luck."

They nodded their confirmation, and took to the skies leaving Robin watching after them as they grew smaller and smaller.

* * *

It would take a little while to reach the Valmese forces which left Lucina and Cordelia alone for the flight. Lucina had noticed that the readhed did not seem particularly fond of her, but she knew it was probably best not to pry. It was not hard to imagine why she disliked her so much anyways.

"You hurt him, you know," the knight kept her face forward as she spoke, "When you left."

She had figured as much, but she said nothing.

"He still cares about you though, but I'm not sure he can take much more of you toying with his heart."

"I assure you that that was not my intention."

"Still, your departure closed him off. If you care about him, then you should either act on it or leave him be."

"I–" she was not ready for such an ultimatum, "I will consider your words." What more could she say?

 **A/N: I considered having Robin disappointed that Lucina wasn't wearing a Pegasus Knight uniform, but I decided to avoid potentially pervy behavior. Oh, and, no, Sumia isn't pregnant, she's just sick. Anyways, the poll hasn't changed:**

 **Tiki: 14**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**

 **I've also been thinking about doing a story about someone other than Robin. My candidates are Chrom, Ephraim, Eliwood, and Marth (and their respective love interests, only one of which is probably a surprise: it's Eliwood's by the way). If you want to chip in, you can, but I will not be updating its status regularly (I** _ **will**_ **keep track of it though). However, rest assured that I am in no way abandoning this pairing as it still makes up the bulk of my planned material.**

 **Now for something unrelated feel free to skip if you want to avoid my ramblings. I recently got a Chrom in Heroes and it really bugs me how he keeps mentioning his tactician (singular). The reason for that is…is it Male Robin or Female Robin? Now, yes, I know that it's already crossing worlds so there could be multiple Chroms with different Robins, but then the story maps imply that they're the same world with both of them…I guess I just overthink these things, but it bugs me nonetheless. Though they seem to give Male Robin more of a spotlight.**


	48. Clarity and Regret

Robin's plan had actually worked. Thanks to the intelligence that Lucina and Cordelia were able to gather, he was able to optimize his attack strategy. With Yen'fay defeated, it was more or less a straight line to the capital.

However, Lucina's mind was not on the war; it was not even on the news of Yen'fay's tragedy. No, her focus was on a much more personal issue. Cordelia's words still troubled her. She seemed to indicate that Robin had…feelings for her, but was she really ready to try this again? She was not certain, but she did know that she did not want to hurt him.

What was she supposed to do?

* * *

Robin casually examined the walls of the canyon as he walked. He had insisted on scouting their potential route himself so that he could examine the tactical possibilities firsthand.

In the interest of speed, he only had one Shepherd with him; one who was among the fastest in the group: Lucina. He was both glad and perturbed by her accompanying him. He enjoyed simply being in her presence, but he knew that it was potentially unhealthy just how drawn to her he was-especially considering who she was. Plus, he had hoped to be able to clear his mind on this trip-another reason he insisted on going personally.

Lucina seemed to have picked up on his desire to think-or maybe she too had something on her mind-so she kept her distance as well. Robin sighed as he looked over they natural walls. It looked like they might be able to bring part of it down to seal off the passageway if need be, but if they were ambushed by archers at the top, then it would not be good.

He had gotten so absorbed in his own thoughts that he failed to notice Lucina wander off to investigate the mouth of the gorge. It was not until he heard the sounds of combat that he finally realized that something was wrong. He ran in the direction of the sound when he saw Lucina fending off what appeared to be a Valmese patrol.

There were probably at least fifty to a hundred soldiers. Even she could not hold out long against those odds. Robin's mind started racing. As a tactician, it was his responsibility to think logically and to weigh the odds, and, as much as he hated to admit it, he was more important to the war effort than Lucina.

However, he was already halfway to her by the time he arrived at that conclusion. He would not act rationally; not this time, not with her life in the balance. He acted almost automatically in her defense as he could feel a cold terror threatening to overtake him, but he fought it back. He had to focus!

He found that exceptionally hard though as flashes of something kept popping up in his mind. What were they? Were they…memories? They were blurry, but as he got closer, as the fear kept threatening to overtake him, they got clearer. It was only a handful of moments, but he could see someone. They were in a field, and in another memory they were outside of some building. Then he finally got a clear image. It was Lucina smiling at him for reasons he knew not why, but he knew. In that moment, he finally had some clarity.

Robin charged forward at the closest Valmese soldier with an outstretched hand. Just before his hand made contact with the armor, Robin released a bolt of lightning that pierced clean through the armor.

"Go!" Robin commanded as he helped Lucina fend off the Valmese.

"I won't leave you," she replied defiantly even as she bled from several cuts-some looking fairly deep.

"You're injured," Robin continued to push himself past his limits as exploited every chink in the enemy's armor that he could find as well as using more magic than was probably healthy, "Go! Now!" He did not give her a choice in the matter as he flung her away with a well-placed wind spell while also making sure to soften her landing which led to him getting speared in the right shoulder making his sword arm essentially worthless for the time being.

However, he worked through the pain and cast a sweeping lightning spell across the mouth of the canyon to seal it off. Breathing heavily, he turned around and glared at the Valmese soldiers with a look that some might have claimed could melt steel or freeze a man solid. Bruised, bloodies, and battered Robin gathered even more magic to his fingertips and without a word, he threw it at the feet of the Valmese creating an impressive release of energy and throwing a significant amount of debris into the air.

* * *

Before Lucina could even get her bearings, the rockslide closed off her only path to Robin. She tried to climb it, but her left arm was too badly injured. She felt so helpless! She could hear the struggle, she knew he was fighting, but she could not help him. It was her fault.

Then the sounds of struggle stopped. She almost broke down into tears then and there. Forget her duty! She just wanted to see him again, but…she waited too late. She wished that she had just told him everything.

But now…

 **A/N: I struggled with finding the right balance with how much Robin should remember as well as how Lucina should react. Let me know what you think of the balance.**

 **Standings remain unchanged:**

 **Tiki: 14**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**

 **Also, it looks like I've been found out. The pairings for the second ballot are ChromXSumia (its pseudo-cannon for crying out loud, and I actually like it), MarthXCaeda (it's literally cannon), EphraimXTana (seriously, no incest. I shouldn't have to say that so any votes involving incest are thrown out. You can still try again though), and EliwoodXLyn (I think this one might either make it or break it for Eliwood).**


	49. Despair

While Robin and Lucina were on their scouting mission, Chrom, Frederick, Cordelia, and Say'ri were busy looking over a map of Valm looking for the best route to the capital. They had most of their route planned, and all that remained for the most part was to scout the routes, but they prepared back-ups just in case.

Chrom was about to conclude the meeting when a bloodied Lucina stumbled into the command tent, "Lucina!" Chrom quickly supported his daughter, "What happened?"

"Valmese," Lucina answered almost automatically.

"Call for a healer," Chrom commanded and Frederick went in search of just that.

"Where's Robin?" Cordelia asked with no small amount of concern evident in her voice.

"I-I was caught by a Valmese patrol, and he saved me by pushing me away and sealing the canyon. I couldn't–" she paused to reign in her emotions, "I couldn't get to him, and…"

Chrom looked down darkly while Cordelia refused to accept what she was hearing, "We have to go help him!"

"It's too late," Lucina shivered, "I heard the silence overtake the area. The fighting stopped…"

"Maybe he forced them to retreat!" Cordelia desperately clung to hope, but Lucina looked as if she had already lost all such hope.

"There were too many, and he would have called out if he had been victorious," Lucina refused to look anyone in the eyes.

"You–" Cordelia was furious, "How could you let this happen? You let him die!"

Chrom stepped between the two, "That's enough." His expression made it clear that he should not be tried forcing Cordelia to stand down and leave.

Chrom turned and looked at his daughter as she still refused to look up, "Lucina, you shouldn't blame yourself."

She said nothing and he decided that she needed some time. He left with Say'ri after that. Right now, he had to make an uncomfortable announcement to the Shepherds. Their friend and brother…was gone.

* * *

Lucina did not know how long she had been in her tent. There was a memorial for Robin, but she did not go. She still felt responsible for his death, and she was probably not the only one who put the blame on her. If she had not been so careless than he might still be alive, but now? Now he was gone, and she never even told him the truth.

Lucina did not know how many tears she had shed in the privacy of her tent. After so many years of being strong, of not being able to show weakness, she finally reached her breaking point. She would not let anyone see, but she cried herself to sleep. She had many tears saved up after all.

Lucina did not know what she would do next. She still had a mission to accomplish, but she had lost her drive. After all of the loss and all of the pain, was there really anything she could do? No matter how hard she fought, she always seemed to lose in the end. Was it even worth trying anymore?

* * *

It was dark. He sat up slowly so as to not disturb his aching head any more than was necessary. Where was he? From what he saw, it looked like a dungeon. He racked his brain to find out why he was here, and then he remembered.

He had trapped himself with a group of Valmese soldiers. Though, why was he alive then? He distinctly remembered being overpowered after he attempted to make a break for it after his little diversion.

He felt his shoulder. It was healed. Odd. Other than the obvious battle damage, his coat seemed to be in one piece. He almost frantically made sure that the ring was still there, and, much to his relief, it seemed that he had done an adequate job of concealing it within his coat.

Now, the question was: where was he? He could not see outside, but if they had moved him to a fort, they must have flown him to get him there already since they had been intentionally avoiding heavy Valmese installations, and this did not look like a quick or temporary structure.

He was soon distracted by the sound of keys outside his door. Two guards came in and roughly held him up while a third unlocked his chains from the wall. Robin was not sure where they were taking him, but he decided to bide his time and try to find out where he was. He just hoped they were not headed for the gallows.

After leaving a rather standard-yet oddly clean looking-dungeon, he was greeted to a carpeted corridor. He was led through many more like it. Eventually, he found himself in what looked to be a large dining room where he was rather roughly forced to sit at the end of a large table. However, once he noticed who was sitting at the other end, he was not quite sure what to think.

"So you are the tactician who has been causing me so much trouble," the massive man gave a smile, "Well met."

Across the table was Walhart the Conqueror.

 **A/N: Again, hopefully I didn't over do it with Lucina.**

 **Once again, poll is unchanged:**

 **Tiki: 14**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**

 **As for the other one, it's close between Eliwood and Ephraim. However, I find myself favoring one of them myself. So I'm considering actually doing a multichapter story. I'll still do a oneshot for whoever wins though. I was thinking about alternating updates between it and my next planned multichapter story.**


	50. Pain and Loss

Robin looked on as his "host" took a sip from his cup. Robin eyed a servant as he brought out some food and placed it before the tactician. If it were not for the shackles, he might say that his reception was cordial.

"You are excused," he waved the servants and guards away and they followed their orders without question, "You must be wondering why you are here."

"The thought had crossed my mind."

"When I learned that you were behind the war effort against me, I had your description spread amongst my troops with the orders to take you alive if possible."

"Were you hoping to recruit me? If so, you may find yourself disappointed."

"I do not expect to sway you so easily, but I believe that someone such as yourself could be made to see things my way."

"Someone such as myself?"

"You look at life logically. It is a necessity of your job. You cannot afford for sentiment to get in the way of the facts. You must weigh both sides and then pick the better suited option," his words hit unpleasantly close to home, "And yet, unlike most tacticians I have met, you do not hide behind those who are stronger."

"Indeed, if my patrol's words are to believed, you are quite the warrior yourself. We are not so different, you and I."

"You'll excuse me if I don't take that as a compliment."

"Hmm, you think me a cold-hearted killer, do you not?"

"To put it bluntly."

"It is a title that I will gladly bear if it brings about peace."

"Peace? Nothing you've done seems to have anything to do with peace."

"Ah, but it does. I will unite humanity under my banner, and then we will do away with war and those who seek humanity's end. What are a few thousand lives in the light of millions?"

"You oppress those who defy you. What good is peace if you do not have freedom?"

"Freedom? What good is freedom if there is no peace? My means may seem harsh, but I assure you that they are necessary." Before he could continue, someone entered and whispered something in Walhart's ear, "I must be going. I cannot risk you escaping so you must be sent back to the dungeons, but when you go, make sure to look around. Even my prisoners deserve respect for at least showing enough courage to face me. I am not the monster you seem to think I am."

"Tell that to Yen'fay."

"That was not my doing," he replied as he stood, "That was the work of a small-minded toad of a man who I simply tolerate."

"And yet, you let these things happen anyway," Robin looked the Conqueror square in the eye.

"We will speak again."

* * *

The Shepherds had taken Robin's death hard. Most refused to believe it until the search parties came back with nothing but reports of a cleared out area-the Valmese had taken everything with them. It took a while, but most eventually accepted his death.

Most of the Shepherds redirected their emotions into bringing this war to a swift end, however, Sumia noticed two deviations from that pattern. She was probably not the only one who noticed, but she was close to both of them.

Cordelia had been increasingly reckless. She always went on any mission that she could, and she was much more aggressive than Sumia had ever seen her friend. She was out for blood, and she did not care if she risked her own life to get it all the while refusing to believe that he was dead.

Sumia had tried to tell her that the odds that Robin were alive was incredibly low since the Valmese rarely took prisoners. The fates of their enemies were usually decided on the battlefield where they either swore allegiance to Walhart, or they died. The stories they had of the few prisoners that had been taken were even worse.

Still, Cordelia refused to listen. No matter who tried to talk to her, she consistently refused to believe that Robin was dead. She was living in denial, and she was becoming a danger to those around her. If she did not pull herself together, she may have to be relieved of duty.

The other case was much closer to her as well as more difficult to look at. Lucina had seemingly taken Robin's death in the completely opposite manner as Cordelia. Lucina seemed to have lost her will to fight, and Sumia was worried for her daughter.

No amount of comforting on her part seemed to help. Lucina was not eating as much, and she kept herself hidden away in her tent. It became clear to Sumia that her daughter had been close to the tactician.

Lucina was just lying there on her cot. She barely moved while her mother sat in a chair across from her. Chrom sat with her when he could, but he was busy with the war so it usually fell to her. They were concerned, but they also did not know how to console her. Everything they had tried had resulted in failure. She was inconsolable.

She blamed herself for Robin's death, that much was apparent. Admittedly, there had been those amongst the Shepherds which had agreed with that sentiment initially, but most of them had cooled off. Especially after seeing her sad state during march. Perhaps she just had to work through this on her own, but Sumia was still afraid that this was one battle that she might not win-that she had finally met her match.

 **A/N: I may seem like I'm being overly harsh to Lucina here, but just remember that she's had it much worse in this story than she usually does. No matter how strong she is, she's still human.**

 **The poll is still unchanged:**

 **Tiki: 14**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**

 **I'm thinking about putting in previews of potential stories for each of the characters in the other poll. If I do, expect them after the author's notes in future chapters.**

 **Also, I may not update tomorrow since I have a Calculus final. I've made 100s on the past two tests, but this one is cumulative.**


	51. Memory

Robin spent another day in his cell. He had to admit that it did not match up to the rumors that he had heard about Valmese prisons, but he could not rule out the possibility that it was all a ruse designed to earn his trust.

He had plenty of time to think at least. He started plotting an escape, but he knew very little of the castle's layout. He may have to bide his time for a little longer. In the meantime, his mind wondered to thoughts of Lucina.

His memory had by no means returned in earnest, but he had enough to piece together one mystery that had plagued him for so long: the ring. He now had little doubt that the ring was meant for her. He still had many questions about their shared history, but of that much he was sure.

It also explained why he was so drawn to her. He had apparently already fallen in love with her once so it was possible that on some level, he remembered her the whole time which meant that he always knew that he was taken.

Now he just had to survive this ordeal and get back to her, and he _was_ determined to get back to her.

* * *

That evening, Robin was once again summoned for dinner with the Conqueror. Robin knew that he needed to avoid angering him. Perhaps if he got on his good side, then he could get some freedom.

The meal began in much the same way as the day before. Once they were alone, Walhart began his conversation, "I wanted to speak with you about our common enemy."

"And who would that be?"

"The Grimleal."

That got Robin's attention. It was not a name that he was expecting to hear, "Go on."

"The Grimleal are a scourge to both our lands. They have operated toward the destruction of humanity for over a thousand years, and yet, they still operate today. I fully intend to remedy that."

"While I am no friend of the Grimleal, you still plan to kill my friends."

"Perhaps, they do not need to die. If you were to convince them to join willingly, then perhaps we could both stamp out this pestilence on our lands as a united empire."

"And live under your boot? Honestly, I'm not sure I can trust you. Tell me, you said that even your prisoners deserve respect, but why is it that most Valmese prisons are infamous for torture. It would seem that your empire does not share your sense of honor. Why should anyone follow a leader who cannot keep his own house in order?"

"You speak as if I can control every facet of my empire. Despite what the propaganda may say, I am but one man."

"I might be willing to accept that reasoning if it were a localized incident, but this is a fairly widespread occurrence. Perhaps you need to reevaluate the leadership in your empire."

"…I will take what you have said under advisement."

And with that, their meeting was over. Maybe Robin needed to work on the staying on his good side thing.

* * *

They were closing in on the Valmese capital. They would arrive within the week; however, the war was not the most immediate matter of concern for the royal couple.

"She's still cooped up in her tent, isn't she?" Chrom asked while already knowing the answer as he prepared for bed.

"Yes," Sumia started to remove her armor, "I'm worried about her. She's barely eating; she seems to have almost lost the will to live."

Chrom sighed, "It can't be easy for her feeling responsible for his death, but she has to move on. I'll talk to her tomorrow."

Sumia was not sure about letting him handle something so delicate since he himself was not a delicate man, but if anyone could help her at this point, it was Chrom.

* * *

Chrom entered his daughter's tent the next day and could almost immediately feel her darkened mood. Like the times he had sat with her before, she laid curled up on her cot staring at the side of the tent.

Chrom pulled a chair up next to the cot and sat down, "We'll be arriving at the capital soon." Nothing. Chrom sighed, "How long are you going to blame yourself for what happened?"

That seemed to strike a nerve, "I _am_ to blame," she muttered.

"Robin chose to do what he did. You did not force him. But that's irrelevant anyway. What matters now is what you do going forward."

"What's the point? No matter how hard I fight, I always lose. It's hopeless."

"You know, I once thought that things were hopeless too."

That got her attention, and she finally looked at him, "You did?"

"I did," he nodded, "When Emmeryn died, I felt as if it was all pointless, but my friends-Robin included-refused to let me give up. So I turned my anger and grief and pointed it straight at those who had caused it."

"Do you think that sitting around and feeling sorry for yourself is what Robin would have wanted? Do you think that he would give up? I don't pretend to understand half of what you've been through, but you need to get up and fight. If not for yourself, then for Robin and his memory." Chrom stood up and left her with one last question before leaving, "How will _you_ honor his memory?"

* * *

The Shepherds were about to leave camp and Sumia still had not seen Lucina walking about.

"Have you seen her?" she asked her husband.

"No, I'll go–"

"I am here, father." They both looked over to see Lucina standing with her hand on Falchion's hilt, and where despair had once occupied her eyes, a fierce determination shone once more, "I am ready."

 **A/N: Chrom may be indelicate, but sometimes that's just what is called for.**

 **Poll is unchanged:**

 **Tiki: 14**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**

 **Anyway, as I mentioned, here is a sample. It may not be a proper representation of what would happen should he win, but I ask that you at least read it (it is the most "controversial" pairing of the lot).**

 **And wish me luck on Calculus!**

* * *

The unlikely band had been forced to travel through the mountains. Unfortunately, that also meant excessively cold temperatures for the band of travelers which was particularly harsh on one of the leaders of the group.

"Perhaps you should invest in some warmer clothes," the red-headed man commented as he walked beside the shivering woman.

"I did, but I didn't exactly have a lot of time to pack."

"I would have thought that you would be used to the cold anyway. The Sacean Plains are rumored to get fairly cold."

"They do, but we tended not to wander around in the snow if at all possible. Besides, it's more temperate than you'd think most of the year. My tutors explained why; it was kind of dull though."

"How is your tutoring going by the way?" Eliwood made conversation hoping to also distract her from the cold.

"It's going fine. I've had to make up a lot of ground, and my instructors say I'm doing well. Honestly, I don't care for their stuffiness, but some of the stuff I've learned is fascinating."

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're adjusting so well," he noticed that she was still shivering however and frowned.

"Wha-what are you doing?" she stammered as he threw his cape around her.

"You're freezing and it's the best I have. I wish I could do more."

"It's fine," she pulled the cape around herself hiding the slightest blush, and it was not from the cold this time.


	52. Escape

Lucina put on a brave face as they marched. She was not fully recovered by any means, but she was at least determined to avenge Robin. Maybe she could not win, maybe it was hopeless, but she knew that he would not have wanted her to give up. He would certainly not give up so easily.

So she kept pushing herself onward until they finally reached the Valmese capital. Fortunately, Robin had laid out how they should proceed. The question had been raised that he may have been tortured and forced to reveal those plans, but they had little choice though some alterations where made to throw their enemy off if they were expecting that plan.

Chrom, addressed the army at large before he gave a much more personal speech to the Shepherds, "We're finally here. I know you've given it your all, but I still ask you to lend me your strength once more. We were never supposed to make it this far, but we did. We were not supposed to make it across the sea, but we did. We were not supposed to defeat Yen'fay, but we did. Now, join with me to bring this war to an end once and for all; to do what they said we could not! For Ylisse!" He looked out over the Shepherds. This was where he usually said their de facto battle cry of "For Emmeryn" which he did give to the troops, but this time, he felt that something else was called for-something more personal for the moment as well, "For Emmeryn! For Robin!"

The Shepherds reverberated his cry with gusto. They were ready to end this war-they were ready to avenge their friend.

* * *

After a few more meetings with the Conqueror, Robin was about ready to make his escape. He had gained little information about the castle layout-it was the capital though, of that much he was sure-but he had noticed where the guards where the most lax and he had what appeared to be the best chance of slipping away.

So he waited until the guards came for him as they were prone to do. He went along with the routine until his opening came, at which point he elbowed one of the guards in the face. When the other made to grab him, Robin played his trump card. With a small sigil appearing in the air before his hands, he cast a small spell that was enough to wound the guard before doing the same to the shackles binding his ankles and making a full sprint anywhere that was not there.

No doubt that someone had heard the commotion so he had to act quickly. After evading the guards for a while, he finally ducked into what appeared to be a storage room of some sorts. Knowing that he needed a break, he decided to hide out there for a few minutes and try to find something he could use and he also took that time to break the chain binding his wrists together.

Unfortunately, the room proved to be utterly devoid of any makeshift weapons, and he only had a few more "tricks" left. In preparation for the event that he was found weaponless, Robin had ordered a few modifications to his coat. Namely, he had some glyphs that he had written down on sheets of paper-basically homemade tome pages-sewn into the coat. Essentially, he turned his coat into a makeshift tome. Unfortunately, the energies were not kind to the old garment. There were already holes burned in it from where he had used those spells.

Just as he was preparing to leave, he heard someone coming. He quickly hid behind some old chairs near the doorway. In came a lone soldier who appeared to be searching the room-probably for him. Unfortunately for Robin, he was actually being quite thorough and was making his way around the room towards Robin.

He needed to act. When he was on the far side of the room, Robin knew that was his best opportunity. He silently slipped out from his hiding spot and crept toward the door. He was halfway there when the soldier turned around forcing Robin to rush him. In the confusion, he was able to grab his sword and turn it against him to keep him from calling out for help.

He looked far too young to be in this situation, and he was understandably terrified. "Relax," Robin took pity on the lad, "I don't want to hurt you, but I can't have you yelling for the guards."

"This is a fortress, you'll never escape."

"You let me worry about that part. I don't suppose you'd tell me how to get out?" The kid became tight-lipped, "So, you're a loyal one, huh? Tell me, where are you from?"

"Rosanne."

"Rosanne, they're and occupied territory, and yet you joined the Empire? I take it was not your first choice."

"We are working to unite humanity," he responded almost on reflex.

"Under Walhart's heel, yes, I've heard. Would you not rather your homeland be free though?"

"But…the Emperor is unstoppable. Why would anyone side against him?"

"Heh, ever wonder why Walhart retreated a while back? My friends should be marching on the capital any day now. Like I said, I don't want to hurt you, so just stay low and out of trouble." The tactician proceeded to knock him out, "Trust me, I'm doing you a favor."

* * *

Walhart was an impressive warrior, that much was certain. It was taking Chrom and Lucina's combined efforts just to keep him off balance. Fortunately, Lucina was able to distract him long enough for Chrom to knock him off of his horse through sheer force, but before they could finish him, he made an uncharacteristic retreat when his soldiers essentially dragged him into the castle.

Chrom breathed heavily as he looked to his daughter who was doing likewise, it looked like this was far from over.

* * *

Robin paused as an explosion sounded from outside, "Sounds like they finally made it." Robin had hoped that they would be here soon. It was one factor he took into account when planning his escape. They should provide a good distraction.

Now he just had to find a way out of here.

* * *

Walhart stared out of the window of his throne room. Had he really just lost to that princeling? How could he be bested by someone so much weaker than himself? Was there something to that nonsense he was spouting?

"Milord," the toad of a man approached, "If you allow it, I have a plan for defeating these rabble. All it will take is a little time and we–"

"No," perhaps the tactician was right. Perhaps he had spent too long listening to corrupt advisors, "I will face them right here and now."

"B-but sire–"

"And you will join my personal guard," his gaze dared him to question his orders.

The fat man gulped, "Yes, sire."

"You are dismissed," Walhart paid him no mind as he left his presence. Soon, soon he and the prince would settle this. If the unthinkable were to happen and he lost, then at least he would lose with honor.

* * *

The fighting stopped, and from what he saw out the window, it did not go well for the Empire. They would probably start to flood the halls in preparation for an attack soon. That meant that getting out now would be nigh impossible. He would have to wait for a rescue after all it seemed.

He did not have to wait long. The Ylisseans must have met very minimal resistance in the city as fighting soon broke out in the castle. He started to make his way to the throne room. That was almost certainly where Walhart was, and that meant that the Shepherds were headed there to end this.

It seemed that the Shepherds had been able to cut a swath straight to the throne room so he met little resistance, and as much as he did not like picking from the dead, he did pick up a high level lightning tome.

Robin snuck in to the side of the throne room and there he saw Chrom and Lucina locked into combat with the conqueror. They were holding their own, but he would rather not leave it to chance.

"Fall to the wayside!" Walhart charged for an attack, but he changed course at the last moment to avoid the bolt of electricity from in front of him.

Father and daughter both turned to see the source of the spell thinking that their spell casters had been tied up only to find Robin walking up to the site of the battle.

"R-robin…" he heard Lucina whisper in disbelief, but as much as he wanted to embrace her, he had some business to attend to first.

"So, I see you wish to face me as well," Robin did not respond with words, but with magic as he prepared his spell, "I have trained my resistance to extreme levels, do not think that you can defeat me with such a spell."

"Hmph, can you say the same about your horse?" and with that Robin launched the spell at the emperor's steed and knocking him to the floor.

Walhart growled in frustration, "I believe that I have put up with you for long enough." However, before he could approach Robin, Chrom and Lucina resumed their assault on him. Working together seamlessly, they took full advantage of his lack of a mount with Lucina attacking fast yet still hard while making openings for Chrom to deliver his own incredibly powerful blows. In unison, the two charged him with one final blow that finally pierced his armor. The conqueror, was dead.

However, Lucina seemed uninterested in that fact. She walked up to Robin almost as if she did not trust her own eyes, "Is it really you?" She was staring deep into his eyes as if he might attack her.

He smiled tiredly but sincerely, "It's me," and before he could say anything else, he was almost knocked down by Lucina as she buried her face into his shoulder. She was…sobbing, and that alone nearly broke his heart. He closed his eyes as he stroked her hair as she muttered unintelligible words into his tattered coat. In that moment, it was as if they were the only ones in the world, and he was content.

 **A/N: I tend to abbreviate action scenes. So, what did you think? When thinking of Robin's escape, I decided on him hiding essentially mini tomes inside the coat that he could use, but were hidden from view.**

 **The poll is:**

 **Tiki: 15**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**

 **So, I guess most of you really don't care for EliwoodXLyn. Shame, I wanted to write for them, but there isn't much point if hardly anyone wants to read it (At least there were two people who did).**

 **So the next preview is for Chrom and it actually doesn't feature Sumia at all! If he wins, I think I might do a young Chrom story.**

* * *

Chrom never liked these trips to visit the people. Even after the people warmed up to Emm, he still remembered how cruel they were to begin with. He knew they had a reason to distrust his family, but they had hurt her both physically and emotionally and Chrom did not like that.

Still, as the years passed, he had grown out of his resentment for the most part. He still thought that they could be ungrateful, but he also knew that it was his job to protect them. For better or for worse, they were his people too.

The prince watched as the scenery passed. They were going to visit a village which had recently been attacked by bandits or so the report had gone. Emm also decided that they could use a visit from the Exalt and prince. How he envied Lissa right now.

The carriage stopped and they left with little fanfare as Emm got right to greeting the people. They actually seemed happy to see her, or were they just happy to see the supplies? In any case, seeing Emm work with the people was quite the sight. She was so much more patient than he, and the children especially seemed to love her.

Chrom smiled as he left to wander around the village confident that he could handle any dangers that he may encounter. That was when he stumbled into the area of the town that suffered the most in the attack. Entire buildings had been reduced to rubble and some were still even smoldering. He saw people wandering around in filthy clothes with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Looking over the destruction he noticed that the area reeked of burnt wood and flesh.

How arrogant had he been? These people had nothing left. Was giving them supplies really the best they could do?

Chrom beat his fist against the wall of a burnt out store that he had been looking in. No, he knew Emm did not like it, but they had to do something preemptively. Their military was all but dismantled, but maybe there was something he could do.

Emm could be the leader, but these people needed something else in addition; they needed protectors, and he would be that muscle.

 **Edit: There were some problems with the upload so I deleted it and decided to repost it before I leave.**


	53. A Shared History

While Robin was perfectly content to stay there holding Lucina in his arms, not everyone present shared that opinion which became readily apparent once he heard the unmistakable sound of someone clearing their throat. He decided then that it was probably best if they separated at that point.

"So," Chrom's voice was eerily level, "Would anyone care to explain what just happened?"

"I think we should spread the word of Walhart's death first," Robin tried to deflect.

"Frederick and Say'ri are already on it," Chrom crossed his arms, "So…is there something you two haven't been telling me."

"Father…I…Robin and I…we…"

"It's alright," he put a hand on her shoulder before turning back to Chrom, "Lucina and I go a ways back. In fact, we met before you found me in that field."

"What?" Everyone-Lucina included-stared at him, "Robin, how do you–"

"When I went to save you, flashes of memories came back to me. It's only a few images, but it was enough for me to know."

"So…you two knew each other?" Chrom seemed somewhat bewildered, "For how long exactly?"

Robin looked to Lucina, "About three years." At that revelation, there were some murmurs from amongst the Shepherds.

"So, how far did this relationship of yours go exactly?"

Robin instantly thought to the ring. _Apparently pretty far._ "We…did become a couple."

Now it was Robin's turn to blush while Chrom narrowed his eyes, "How close of a couple?"

"I-well, I am not a good judge of these things, but I think that we were close." _Really close,_ Robin added mentally, his mind still on that ring.

"I see," Chrom sighed, "Well, I suppose that I can't hold it against Robin given the circumstances, but it's still a bit…strange."

"Dear," Sumia put her hand on her husband's shoulder, "Perhaps we should give them some time to catch up."

"Alright," he eyed them one last time before ordering the Shepherds to give them some space.

"So, three years?" Robin did not know where to start.

"Yes, I landed near your village where you found me and took me to your home."

"Sorry, but I don't remember the details. I just know that…I know that there is something between us. I care about you deeply, but it may take some time to get back to where we once were."

"It's alright. Take as much time as you need," Lucina nodded.

"So tell me, what was I like back then?"

* * *

The war was over, but the official negotiations and transitions would take time. However, the Shepherds had other matters to attend to so they left that in Say'ri's capable hands while they made for the coast so that they might return home.

Robin and Lucina had been almost joined at the hip the entire trip-well, Chrom made sure they stayed apart at certain times no matter how much they protested that they were not up to anything inappropriate. Lucina was actually reminded of how Robin's mother would do similar things, but she was a bit more subtle about it.

Speaking of which, Lucina had been sharing bits and pieces of their lives before he lost his memory. His mother had come up a few times usually causing Robin to get this wistful smile. It must have been hard having to hear about one's own past from someone else. Still, he seemed happy to just have this opportunity.

As for their relationship, they were taking it one step at a time as Robin tried to sift through his emotions. As much as she loved him, she wanted him to be sure before they resumed their relationship-though perhaps it was because she loved him that she was willing to wait.

She knew that she could not expect him to just pick up where they had left off. She would wait for him to fall in love with her all again if that was what it took. Though she doubted if she would have to wait that long. He seemed to already have some knowledge of their relationship on some level, he just had to sort out the difference between his phantom feelings and his current ones.

All in all, Lucina was happy that she could finally be open with him. They had even started to spend some more time together just…being together much like they used to. He was getting to know her again, and she even got to see him being much more vulnerable than he would usually let anyone see. Seeing him like that reminded her of when they were both much younger which seemed like so long ago now.

Maybe she could have a happy ending after all. Looking into his eyes as he smiled, she could not help but smile back. Yes, Maybe a happy ending was possible.

 **A/N: Just a short little piece today.**

 **Standings:**

 **Tiki: 15**

 **Cordelia: 5**

 **Cherche: 1**

 **I have also decided to forgo any more previews and instead release them in a "story" designed just for that. I may even flesh them out some more. Though I'm still taking votes if you're interested. Maybe I should do more than one big story at a time so that I can post multiple times a day.**


	54. Plans

Robin's days were much less busy as of late. With the war over, a lot of his time had been freed up. Much of that time he spent with Lucina. She had been incredibly patient with him too. It was strange hearing about one's own life from someone else, but the way she seemed so invested in their time together almost mesmerized him.

Still, he did not spend _every_ waking moment with her. He did still have some work to do. So he sat himself down at his desk and began sorting through the different documents. It was pretty standard stuff until he came across a letter.

Curious, he opened it and began reading. Once he was finished he sat the letter down with a smile, _"Guess he made it after all."_

* * *

Within a few days they were once again on a ship and were headed for home. During one particular sunset, Robin and Lucina had taken up position at the bow of the ship. They had started making a habit of watching the sun go down together.

"So, what are your plans for after we stop Grima?"

"I...do not know. We were never quite able to settle on a plan. I was against staying at the castle out of concern over my parents."

"But they know now."

"Yes, but in truth, I am not sure if I want the castle life anymore. I have long made my peace with the fact that I will never be a princess again, and I find myself strangely okay with that. I must say that I found the simple life…quaint and relaxing."

"However," she paused, "I would still like to serve Ylisse-to help people."

"Well, there might be a way for you to do both. Serve a term for a few months and spend some time off duty."

"I may have to consider that. What about you? Do you have any plans?"

Robin smiled, "I'm not sure. I thought that I would just stay in Ylisstol, but," he spared a glance at her, "Who knows what the future holds."

"Just having the choice is so…invigorating," she looked out upon the sea as the breeze blew through her hair.

Her smile was contagious and Robin smiled back, "It is, isn't it?" Robin vowed to himself right then and there that he would do his best to make sure that she got that future she wanted so dearly. After all, she may have given up on being a princess, but she would always be one to him.

* * *

"Dear, how long are you going to spy on them?" Sumia asked as she walked up from behind her husband.

"Who's spying?" he turned back to her, "Can't a man take a stroll about the deck of the ship?"

"Mm-hmm, right in full view of his daughter?"

"Oh? Is Lucina here?" he made a show of looking around, "What do you know, she is! And Robin's with her too!" Sumia gave him a light slap on the shoulder, "Alright, alright, I admit that I was watching them."

"Do you really not trust them?"

"I'm her father, it's my job not to trust them." Sumia scoffed and Chrom smiled, "Joking aside, it's just…a lot to get used to."

"I think it's romantic," she stared at the couple looking at the idyllic sunset causing Chrom to chuckle.

"I guess it is. You always were a romantic," he looked back at the two, "But, yeah, they seem good together."

"So does this mean that you'll stop pestering them?"

"Of course not! He's my friend and she's my daughter which gives me double rights to harass them."

Sumia sighed, "You're terrible."

* * *

They landed in Port Ferox and soon made their way back to Ylisstol. Once they were back, Lucina called Chrom and Robin away to talk.

"What's the matter, Lucina?" Chrom asked once they were alone in his study. He sincerely hoped that this had nothing to do with her and Robin.

"As you know, we still need to find the last gemstone."

"Yeah, I was going to send Frederick out to search for some leads."

"I know where it is."

"You…do?" Chrom looked at Robin who did not look the least bit surprised by this piece of news.

"Yes, it was one of the things I was told before I came here."

"So, where is it?"

"Plegia."

"Figures," Chrom muttered, "Any ideas on how to get it?"

"If memory serves, you were invited."

"Invited, huh?" Chrom folded his arms, "Clearly a trap."

"Indeed, but it should at least reveal the last gemstone. We may be able to take it."

"Assuming Validar even brings the real one." Chrom thought on it, "Hmm, you've been awfully quiet," he looked to Robin, "What do you think of all of this?"

He looked at Lucina, "I say we go for it. We spring the trap."

"Alright," he sighed, "Can't say I like it, but if it's really our best chance I'll play along. I'll send Frederick out as planned and tell him to expect company." He made to leave his study to deliver his instructions. Once he was gone, Lucina spoke up.

"Are you sure that you want to do this? We could leave you behind."

"I understand your concerns, but if I don't go, then Validar may change his plans."

"I know, but…"

"You concerns are warranted. I share them," he caressed her face gently, "But we have a plan this time."

"I know, it's just…we're so close, and I don't want to risk losing now."

"Don't worry. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to look into that other problem."

 **A/N: Okay, as some of you have mentioned, the site has been causing problems whenever I try to upload and it won't send out the notification (it usually sends me one too even though I'm the one who uploaded it). Assuming this keeps up, just keep checking, and, remember, that it will not be within 24 hours of the last update. It might be close sometimes, but wait at least 24 hours.**

 **So, as for the poll, please refrain from trying to vote twice. I've removed a Tiki vote on suspicions of someone trying to get in more than one vote which tipped me off that they may have already gotten away with it once. You can vote for more than one character (if you would like to read more than one), just make sure that it's at the same time.**

 **Tiki: 14**

 **Cordelia: 6**

 **Cherche: 1**


	55. According to Plan

Lucina waited patiently for Robin to leave his room. After his coat had been severely damaged in Valm, they were finally able to convince him to get a proper grandmaster coat. It took a fair amount of coaxing, especially from her, to get him to relinquish one of his only ties to the past.

Just then, then door opened and out came Robin dressed in a similar coat. However, this one was lacking any Grimleal symbols and featured a blue mini jacket over his shoulders. That combined with all of the gold trim gave it a very regal appearance.

"Well, how do I look."

"Wonderful. I think it suits you."

"Good. Personally, I think it's a bit much, but if you like it, then it's fine by me."

"It certainly fits your station. Now, we need to go."

"Right, don't want to be late, now do we?"

* * *

The Shepherds had been invited to Plegia Castle just as Lucina predicted. Everyone knew it was a trap, but they went anyway. They needed that gemstone, and Robin assured them that this was the best way to get it.

However, Lucina still had some trepidation about this course of action. If anything went wrong, then they were finished; the world was doomed. They were walking a fine line, and she just hoped that they did not trip.

* * *

Validar was making little effort to hide his intentions if the poorly hidden soldiers were any indication. It looked like they would be fighting their way out, just as Robin had planned on. He made sure that they were ready while Chrom handled things on the diplomatic end.

"Greetings, prince Chrom," Validar greeted with a sickeningly false tone, "Would you care for some refreshments?"

"No thank you. I'd rather speed this along if you don't mind."

"My, you're in quite the hurry. I must admit that I am a bit…disconcerted by that. The gemstones can be…horrific artifacts in the wrong hands."

"Excuse me, but did you not invite us here to give us the gemstone?"

"The last time those gemstones were together, they were used against Grima, and I simply cannot allow that to happen again. You see, _prince_ Chrom, I'm afraid that the point of this meeting was not to give you my stone, but rather to take the emblem myself." As he said that, guards started pouring into the room.

"This is an act of war."

"I am well aware of that, and I am prepared for it. Are you?"

Chrom grit his teeth but did not act as the soldiers got closer, "Let's go, now!"

They Plegians put up some resistance as they left, but they were clearly just making a show of it. They wanted them to think they were escaping. Of course, in a situation like that, there was little choice other than to push spring the trap at the end, and Robin had good idea what that trap was.

Sure enough, just as they were about to the exit, Validar warped right up toward them and stunned Chrom.

"Give up the Emblem, or I shall take it."

"You can try," Chrom grunted defiantly.

"I won't have to lift a finger. Will I, Robin?"

Right on cue, Robin hunched over and began to hobble over to the weakened Chrom where he removed the Emblem from his arm, "Robin?" The only response he got was a hard look from the tactician and a malicious cackle from Validar as he grasped the Emblem with the tendrils he called fingers.

"He is completely under my control. If you still wish to try and stop me, then meet me at the Dragon's Table," he laughed again as he warped away.

"What have I done?" Robin asked as he stared at his hands.

"It wasn't your fault," Chrom reassured, "Right now, we need to get out of here and get the Emblem back."

"R-right," the Shepherds soon left the castle with Robin and Lucina being among the last ones to leave. They made one singular eye contact before leaving and did not speak again until they made camp later that day.

* * *

Nerves were understandably tense around camp. However, none of them blamed Robin, but some of them were a bit less certain about taking him into their next confrontation. Admittedly, Lucina found herself questioning the wisdom of that herself.

She found Robin looking out over a sunset at the small oasis they had set camp at. It reminded her of their voyage home. It was not that long ago and yet it seemed like a lifetime ago.

"The Shepherds are tense," she commented as she stood behind him.

"That much is too be expected," he replied without looking back.

"Some of them are wondering if we should take you with us for this."

"What about you? Are you one of them?"

"I-I am not sure. Was all this really necessary?"

"We've been over this. We have to be absolutely certain that Validar is using the real gemstone or else we risk not finding it."

"I know, and I know we need it, but I do not like taking such a risky path."

"Neither do I."

Lucina sighed, "So what should we do in the meantime?"

"I should keep acting distraught, and you should keep acting conflicted."

"What if the others realize something is wrong?"

"Well, I guess you could threaten to kill me."

She looked at him with a mixture of shock, terror, and anger, "Relax, I was joking."

"Don't joke about that," she huffed and Robin finally turned around and made sure that no one was looking before he gave her a quick peck on the lips and smiled.

"Don't worry, I don't plan on going anywhere."

 **A/N: So, no attempted murder; it just really doesn't fit.**

 **Any, the ballot:**

 **Tiki: 14**

 **Cordelia: 6**

 **Cherche: 1**


	56. Hubris

Validar made no attempt to stop them as they approached the Dragon' Table. However, once they did get there, he unleashed the Deadlords upon them. There were only twelve of them, but they were doing a good job of slowing the Shepherds down.

Eventually, they were able to circumvent them, but it had cost them time. The Shepherds were all uneasy as they made their way inside of the eerie structure. Of course, they met no resistance as they progressed though Robin was not surprised. He made sure to pass Lucina at some point and give her hand a reassuring squeeze, but that was the about the extent of the comforting he could do without blowing their guise. He just wished that she could comfort him too.

Despite his calm exterior, this plan made him uneasy. If he failed, then the world would pay for it. It was a dangerous gamble, but they needed the full Fire Emblem in order to deal with their other threat. A threat which was just as, if not more so, dangerous as the one they were facing right now.

As Chrom, Lucina, and Robin crossed the pillars at the front, a barrier went up preventing Lucina from crossing or the others from assisting them.

"Robin! Father!" she called to her beloved and father.

"Don't worry about us," Chrom called as he brandished Falchion at the sorcerer who warped in front of the twisted altar.

"He's right," Robin gave her an intent look, "Look after the Shepherds. We'll take care of business here." His meaning was not lost on her and she replied with a solemn nod before drawing her own Falchion.

"How kind of you to provide the final piece I need for the Awakening ritual."

"What are you blathering about?" Chrom growled.

"Why, my dear son of course. Without him–"

"I'm not helping you," Robin cut his father off, "I don't care how hard you try to control me."

"We shall see."

He began to fight back at that point, but Robin knew that he was holding back. Of course, he played along and fought him until he apparently lost. Then came the hard part. The influence was real-that was no show. He just had to make sure that he could keep from losing himself but still make it believable.

"Father!" he heard Lucina call out as he impaled Chrom with magic. Then the barrier fell and Lucina came in and stared at Robin. She looked concerned as if she was afraid that he had lost the struggle, but he gave her an almost imperceptible nod which relaxed her a little.

"I told you, he is under my control. All of your efforts have been for naught."

"You will not succeed!"

Validar gave a condescending laugh, "You're welcome to try, but you cannot defy destiny and succeed."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that!" A deep voice rung through the hall causing Robin to smirk ever so slightly.

* * *

 _"You mean that he is alive?"_

 _"Yes, it seems that he played dead when he realized that he couldn't beat Walhart. I think that he might be the trump card that we need. Lucina, this may not be easy for you, but I need you to tell me everything you know about how Chrom died. Every little detail."_

 _She then proceeded to explain her father's assassination…all of it._

 _"I…see. That is disconcerting to say the least, but we may be able to turn this against Validar."_

 _"How so?"_

 _"By making it look like he's getting exactly what he wants."_

 _"What do mean?"_

 _"If he thinks that he's winning and that everything is going as planned, then he is liable to let hubris do half of our work for us."_

 _"But what about his control over you?"_

 _"I'll need to look into it, but for him to pull something like that off, he would need a lot of power. If he did not have the complete Fire Emblem…. That's it, I need Basilio to help, but I think we can pull this off."_

 _"What if you are wrong? What if he still uses you?"_

 _"We'll need a trial run. You said he used me to steal the gemstones that Chrom had collected. If he tries something like that again, then we should be able to test my theory. If it works, then we proceed. If it doesn't, then he will still be missing most of the stones, and I can sit out the last mission."_

* * *

"It matters not if you lived for you can die here!" Validar was clearly annoyed, "You've still lost, Chrom is dead!"

"Is that so?" Chrom stood to his feet and smirked confidently while his eyes burned with determination.

"B-but…" he seemed to put the pieces together just in time to avoid Robin's attack, "Grah! I'll kill you all myself!"

"Look around," Robin gestured to the Shepherds who were handily finishing off the last of the Grimleal, "You're surrounded."

The thin man charged his son in anger, preparing one final spell, but Robin was faster and met him with his sword. It was an underwhelming end.

"Hah," Chrom breathed, "It's finally over."

"Not quite," Robin started, "Isn't that right?" he quickly swung his sword behind him to have a cloaked figure grab it, "Grima."

 **A/N: Yes, I do tend to cut certain content fairly short like the scene with Validar last chapter. I really don't care to go over it again, and most of you probably know it fairly well.**

 **Well, we're getting close. I hope to have this done either by or on Mother's Day.**

 **Tiki: 14**

 **Cordelia: 6**

 **Cherceh: 1**


	57. Best Laid Plans

_"Lucina? Is something wrong?" She looked troubled after he finished telling her his plan._

 _"It is just…there is something else. Grima followed me back here using the Robin of my time's body. Grima attacked us and that is why you lost your memories."_

 _So that was what had happened. Lucina had always danced around that question, "Why haven't you told anyone this?"_

 _"I did not know what to do. From what I could tell, we need the Fire Emblem to defeat Grima so, I just…never mentioned it. It was too painful after what happened. That monster practically killed you Robin, if any of you knew, then you might try to kill it, but…"_

 _Detecting her rather obvious distress, he took her hand in his, "But I'm still here. Grima can't destroy what we have. That is beyond even the Fell Dragon's might. We'll find a way to fix this too, okay?"_

 _"Okay."_

* * *

"So, you were able to sense me?" the cloaked figured smirked as it crushed the blade in hand, "You've come a long way these past years. Ah, and you brought the princess. Looks like we have a reunion here. If only I had known that you had been staying in that town too, I would have made their deaths so. Much. Slower."

"Be quiet, monster!" Lucina grit her teeth.

"Oh, but they still died in agony I assure you," the dragon cupped an ear, "Why, I can almost hear them now as they and everything they know and love is destroyed. Merely a foretaste of things to come, I assure you."

"That's quite enough," Chrom held Falchion to the imposter's neck.

"Always the eager one, aren't you _pal_? Tell me, how is the gang? I look forward to killing them all again."

"You're all talk, Grima," Robin eyed his doppelganger carefully, "But without the Emblem, you are confined to your…stolen form."

"Yes, about that. You see, it's true that the Emblem is necessary to _revive_ the Fell Dragon, however, _I_ am already revived. I simply have to…regain my strength with all of this wonderful energy that Validar collected for me."

"No," Robin did not like where this was going.

"I see you're starting to catch on. If you will not accept your destiny, then I will!"

"Everyone out, now!" Chrom ordered as the Table started to shake. Fortunately, Grima was too preoccupied to try and stop them.

"Go! There's something I have to get first."

"But–" Lucina began to protest.

"I won't leave you, not this time. Now go!"

She begrudgingly agreed while Robin ran back to the Fire Emblem amidst the destabilizing building. Fortunately, he was able to grab it and get out before it was too late. It was risky, but they were going to need it if they were to fix his mistake.

* * *

After the failure to stop Grima, it became apparent that the Shepherds needed to get to Mount Prism. They proceeded relatively unhindered and had a convoy resupply them on the way. However, things were not going as smoothly on a personal level.

Robin was busy blaming himself for not seeing this coming. Lucina was understandably distressed, but at least there was hope, and she clung to it. Still, seeing him that way did not help her in the least. It was easy to cast blame in this situation, but everything they had read said that the Fire Emblem was needed. They simply had not taken their unusual circumstances into account.

If only she could make him see that.

* * *

"Robin, might I have a word?" she addressed him as he trailed behind the others during the march.

"Hmm, oh, Lucina, maybe later."

"You need to talk. You are blaming yourself for all of this, and–"

"Because I am to blame!" Lucina was taken aback by the sudden interruption. His voice was not loud, but it carried a self-loathing that hurt almost as much as if he had yelled the words, "It was my plan that failed to take everything into account. If not for my plan, then at least Grima wouldn't be flying through our skies. It _is_ my fault," he slowed down, "I guess I bring death with me no matter what I do."

She could see that he was sinking back into his old self doubt, "No, I refuse to believe that. I used to think that death, destruction, and loss were all that I would ever know, but over these past few weeks I have begun to realize that I can be happy. Robin, without you, I might still be drowning in despair. You did not bring death to me; you brought hope."

"I…I would like some time to think."

"Okay," Lucina did not want to push too hard. He needed time to ponder what she said, "Just know that I am here if you need me."

"I know…thank you."

"It is the least I can do after all you have done for me."

* * *

Mount Prism greeted them with relative serenity despite the general mood of the Shepherds. Unfortunately, that serenity did not last long as a small army of Risen were soon behind them.

"Chrom," Robin leapt into action, "Take Sumia, Frederick, Lissa, and Lucina and get to the peak. The rest of us will take care of things here."

"Robin," it was Lucina, and she looked concerned.

"It's alright, I'll have the Shepherds with me this time," he realized that this must have been eerily familiar to her.

"Perhaps I should stay."

"No, you deserve to see your efforts paying off. Now go, we don't have time to argue."

In a rare move of audacity, she gave him a chaste kiss, "Stay safe."

"I promise."

As they left, Robin turned around to see most of the Shepherds staring at him, but he shrugged off the slight embarrassment from the public display of affection, "Well? Come on, we have work to do."

 **A/N: Alright, we're getting close, and, yeah, the last few chapters were probably sub-par, but I hope to actually have a decent ending this time. Oh, and I'm going by the American Mother's Day as apparently it's not the same everywhere.**

 **Are there any other stories of mine that you would want a sequel to?**

 **Tiki: 15**

 **Cordelia: 6**

 **Cherche: 1**


	58. Decisions

The Shepherds cleaned up the Risen and started back up the mountain only to find the royal entourage leaving the shrine as they approached.

"Well, you're not dead," Robin said as he approached, "I take it that means it was a success?"

"See for yourself," he unsheathed the now glowing Falchion and held it up for all to see which went a long way into lifting morale. There was finally hope and the end was in sight.

"Impressive, now what do we do from here?"

"Naga said to head for Origin Peak-an island in between Ylisse and Valm," Chrom answered as he sheathed the blade once more.

"Great, another boat ride."

Chrom laughed, "Come on, it'll be fine."

* * *

Everyone soon started back down the mountain again, and Robin made his way to Lucina's side, "I wanted to thank you for pulling me up. I needed it."

"Hmm? Oh, you are welcome."

Robin raised his brow, "Is something wrong?"

"What would make you say that?"

"You seem distracted. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not right now."

"Alright, just know that this goes both ways. I'm here for you if you need me."

"Thank you," and he did not bring it up again. Though he noticed that she was exceptionally troubled for the rest of the evening. Still, he respected her wishes even if it bothered him to do so.

* * *

Lucina could not sleep that night. How could she after what Naga had told them? How could she look him in the eyes knowing what she knew? Even worse, it was up to her whether or not to tell him. If she did not, then Grima may yet win in the distant future, but if she did tell him, then…

To think that everything she worked for could come down to a single decision. Was there really no way to have both? What was she to do?

* * *

Robin stared out over the sea. Grima's figure could be seen in the distance. The end was nigh. He just wished there was more he could do, but it looked like he would just have to trust Chrom on this one.

"There you are," he heard a voice behind him and turned to look at his visitor. It was Cordelia. They had not talked much since Valm. He had been so busy with Lucina that he had begun to borderline neglect his friends, "I was hoping to talk to you."

"Sure, what do you need?"

"I just wanted to…well, actually, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Well, over the past few weeks, Stahl and I have been getting closer, and it turns out that he's had feelings for me for quite some time," she laughed a little, "I guess I can be pretty oblivious too. Anyway, he proposed the other day."

"That's great!" Robin smiled. He was glad that she finally found the right guy.

"Thank you. So, what about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes," she smiled knowingly, "You told me about the ring, remember? Have you decided when to give it to her yet?"

"I-uh, I haven't decided, no. I was thinking about waiting until this was all over. Maybe sooner."

"Well, I wish you happiness," she started to leave, "Oh, and be sure to tell her soon. You both deserve that much."

Robin watched her go and then looked down to where he kept the ring. Maybe he should just go ahead. The future was so uncertain after all.

* * *

Robin waited on the hill with increasing nerves as he fumbled with the object in his pocket. Really, this should not be a hard task. They both loved each other, and this was the next logical step in their relationship. So then why was he so nervous? Maybe that was just part of all this no matter how close they were.

"Robin?" she was here, "You wished to see me?"

"Yes, I, um, well I don't really know how to say it. W-we've been through a lot, and we're not done yet, but I just wanted you to know that I love you more than anything. I, uh, have something to give you to prove that," he pulled out the ring and her breath nearly caught in her throat, "I had it with me when I woke up in that field, and I just could not figure out who it was for, but I know now. It was meant for you. It was always for you, just like me."

He got down on his knees, "I know this may not be the best time, but the future is uncertain and I don't want to regret not doing this. Lucina, will you marry me?"

Lucina looked like a flurry of emotions was about to overtake her before she quickly turned away, "I can't!"

"W-what? Why not?"

"I–can't…"

"Why, Lucina? What are you not telling me?"

"Robin," she took special note of the grass beneath their feat, "Naga told us something. She said that…that Grima can only be slain by its own power. You can do it, but…it would cost you your life as well due to the influence Grima has over you."

"What? Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"Because I knew that you would do it."

"It's the logical thing to do. Lucina, this is bigger than us. If my life is what it takes to defeat Grima once and for all, then that is a small price to pay."

"I know that! I know that…it's just…after everything that we have been through…why do you have to die!" she turned back around with her tears freely flowing, "I know it was selfish not to tell you, but I was so conflicted. Father can seal Grima, and it may never hound humanity again, not if we know that it can come back."

"But it might, Lucina, and we have to treat this as if it will happen. It's too big of a risk not to."

She barreled into him, weeping into his coat, "I don't want to lose you. Not again."

"I know, and I don't want to lose you. If anyone's earned the right to be selfish, it's you, but this is bigger than us."

"But it isn't certain. It may never happen."

"Maybe…but I'm not sure if I could live with myself if I didn't do it. Please, Lucina, don't cry. I hate it when you cry. Let me remember you with a smile. Please?"

She looked up at him with red eyes, "I cannot. I cannot smile when you are talking about killing yourself."

"Then I want you to promise me something," he said as he hugged her tightly.

"What is that?"

"That you will not blame yourself. Whatever choice I make, I make on my own."

"I-I cannot promise you that."

"Then…promise me that you will stay by your parents sides," perhaps they could help her when he was gone. Maybe they could help her out of her despair.

"…Very well, I will."

Neither party was happy in that moment or with their agreement, and in truth it took all that Robin had not to break down too. It seemed that life truly was not fair…to either of them.

 **A/N: Balancing Lucina's duty with her emotions is a delicate act. I tried to do it justice. She didn't want to tell him, but in the end, she did. One complaint people have with Chrom and Lucina (well, only if she is married to Male Robin or is the daughter of Female Robin) is that they are selfish by not killing/telling Robin not to do it which is kind of true, but I think they might be missing the point. It's not like they want Grima to go free. As I stated, Grima may not come back if they know about it since Grima can't come back without help. Maybe they could find a more permanent solution as well. It's about variables and unknowns. Oh well, it's not like I can make people like it.**

 **In the end, perhaps Awakening is more about heart than logic. Of course, I like stories of "forget the odds" and willpower, so of course I like it.**

 **Tiki: 15**

 **Cordelia: 6**

 **Cherche: 1**

 **Oh, and I guess I should have specified that** _ **Unarranged Marriage**_ **was already getting a sequel. I have some stuff to do before then (such as the Tiki story), but I plan to do it as my next big project. This will also give you some time to read the first one if you haven't yet.**


	59. Against All Odds

"So, you've made it," Grima greeted them as they landed on the dragon's back, "You must be truly eager to die."

"We are here to stop you, Grima," Chrom stood at the front of the group seemingly unfazed by the howling wind, "Your end has come!"

Grima just laughed, "Worm, I _am_ the end!" with a flick of the wrist, the Shepherds found themselves writhing in pain from the Fell Dragon's spell, "Do you see now how utterly pointless your struggle is?"

"W-we're not…done yet!" Robin grimaced as he struggled not to black out.

"No, but that can be easily remedied, except, you don't want that, do you? You can save them you know. Simply give yourself up."

Robin heard cries of protest from the Shepherds as he mustered up the energy to reply, "I'm not…stupid. You…you'd kill them anyway."

"True. I guess we'll have to settle this later," with another movement, Robin disappeared into the shadows, "Now, where were we? Oh yes, I was going to destroy humanity's last hope."

"Why?" Chrom struggled to gain his footing, "Why do you hate humanity so?"

"Why?" Grima repeated as if the answer were obvious, "Because you are inferior. What other reason do I need?"

"You would exterminate us because we are inferior?"

"Yes, do you have any qualms about squashing an insect? I am the superior form of life. I am above the divine dragons, and I am most certainly about you. I am the only life form this world needs."

"You're mad!"

"No, I am _perfect_!"

"I've had about enough of this!" Chrom finally pulled himself up using Falchion as a crutch.

"So you can face your doom standing up, but you will still die."

"No! I don't care about the odds," Falchion started to glow stronger, "I don't care about what you say will or won't happen," the entire blade of Falchion was now pulsating a brilliant red as tendrils of energy flowed from the opening in the hilt and began to repair his battered body, "I will defeat you, Grima, and there is nothing you can do about that," he stood up without the need for a crutch, "Together we stand, together we fight, together we cry, together we bleed, and together we are stronger than any of us could be alone!" The others started to pull themselves up, "Your end has come!"

"Posturing idiot. Do you really hope to defeat me with words alone?" Despite those words, the dragon was eyeing the pulsating Fachion with what could almost be called concern, "You speak of your bonds, but your friends are still vulnerable. Not to mention your tactician is mine now."

"You're wrong," this time it was Lucina who had been partially healed by her own Falchion, "He will not give in so easily. He will not let you win! Together, we are stronger than anything you can bring to bear. So, please, Robin, hurry back."

"The cries of a pathetic little girl. Do you honestly believe that he can hear you?"

"I–"

"Of course he can!" Chrom smiled, "He just needs a little help!" Chrom drove Falchion into the Fell Dragon's scales where Robin had disappeared causing a crack to form around it. As the two opposing energies clashed.

"What are you doing?" Grima demanded, "Do you honestly hope to hurt me like that?"

"Fight back, Robin!" Chrom kept pushing Falchion deeper into the dragon's back. It was not just random destruction on Chrom's part. His thought process was that if he could distract Grima enough, then maybe their words could get through to Robin.

The other Shepherds seemed to catch on and began sending their own words of encouragement to their friend. They were determined to leave no one behind, and, perhaps more importantly, they had faith in their friend.

"How long are you going to–what?" Grima staggered, "I-Impossible!" Robin resurfaced as the Fell Dragon recoiled causing the dragon to yell in rage, "Die!"

A cluster of energy spikes raced toward the weakened Shepherds, but Chrom intercepted them by striking Falchion hard against the Dragon's back.

"Heroes," Naga managed to break through the fell energy, "Take my final gift," a warm light engulfed the Shepherds healing their wounds, "Now, go. Strike down the Fell Dragon!"

"Fine," Grima huffed, "Have it your way," with another flick of the wrist, a horde of Risen were summoned around the Shepherds.

"Shepherds! Let's move!"

The Shepherds fought like they had never fought before. They cut through the enemy with a fierce determination that could almost make a Risen know fear. Still, it would all be for naught if they could not stop Grima. So Chrom, Robin, and Lucina went straight for the source of their woes.

Nothing could stand in their way as they cut a path to Grima. Chrom crushed any who dared get in his way while Lucina danced gracefully about taking care of any who might harm those she cared about with Robin switching seamlessly between sword and tome clearing out any that the other two missed.

"I've come to end you, Grima," Chrom readied himself as they finally arrived at their destination.

"You can try!"

With no more words, Chrom charged in and began dueling the Fell Dragon, but even Chrom found himself struggling to keep up, "What's the matter, Chrom? Getting tired?"

Chrom clenched his teeth and fought harder. Grima just laughed, but that laughter fell short when the imposter sensed another approaching. Grima barely avoided a strike from the future princess as she and her father joined forces seamlessly to combat the Fell Dragon. This time it was Grima who was at a bit of a disadvantage, but that just meant that it needed to step it up a notch.

Just as it sidestepped and prepared to counterattack, Grima was struck by a thoron bolt which stunned the dragon just long enough for Chrom to deal a grievous blow.

"Now," Chrom lifted up Falchion, "I end this!"

"No!" Robin pushed him and Lucina away with a well managed wind spell, "This is my responsibility."

"Now," he turned to the Fell Dragon before they could make it back to him, "It's time to finish this."

"You…would not dare!"

"I do. I don't want to die, but this is the best way." He summoned some of the fell energy and held it aloft, but before he could cast it, an energy spike shot up through his arm.

"Gah!" Robin clutched his arm as the spike disappeared and Grima stood back up cackling.

"Did you really think that I wouldn't catch on to your little plot?"

Robin stared down the dragon in human clothing defiantly, "Well, no matter. I think I'll make you watch as I kill your friends for thinking that you could actually kill me."

"No," Robin tried to stand, but was pushed back down by Grima's heel.

"You are nothing to me, and it's time you learned your place."

Chrom finally made it back at that point, but as he got close, Grima erected a barrier that looked akin to a giant wall of thorns. Chrom took the brunt of the attack he found himself knocked flat. He tried to get up, but he was in bad shape.

"Father!" Lucina knelt down beside him. Fortunately, her mother was within calling distance. She would be able to take him to a healer, but that would mean being without him for quite a while.

"Ugh, Lucina," he called before Sumia took off, "Here, take it."

"But…father."

"No 'buts,' you have to finished this. I believe in you."

She nodded gravely before grabbing it and the flames coursed up her arm before engulfing her.

"Look how they continue this pointless struggle even though their hope is gone," Grima monologued with Robin still pinned, "Chrom is down, soon to be dead, and you could not finish me. Why do they–" Grima's words stopped as it looked down to see a glowing blade sticking through the puppet's chest.

"Hope will never die!" Lucina pulled her father's Falchion up through the shoulder much like she did those years prior in the forest.

"So, you cut through my barrier," Grima nursed the shoulder which refused to heal. Nevertheless, Grima stood tall and approached slowly, "You are nothing more than a petulant child who does not know when to quit."

The Fell Dragon charged, "You will fail here just like you always do," she deflected savage blow after blow, "Tell me, can you almost hear those villagers cries as I burned them alive? As I eviscerated them without mercy? You are destined to fail! It is–"

Grima was cut off by a swing from Lucina's own Falchion. She pulled back and assumed her usual battle stance with one Falchion in each hand, and, for a moment, the sun shone on them in such a way that they almost looked like one blade, "Enough. I will not allow you to harm one more person."

She entered into a flurry of attacks moving each Falchion with deadly precision. Her resolve was steel and her anger was an inferno, _this_ was where the Fell Dragon would fall. Lucina used both weapons to cover any opening she could find as she danced around her opponent until she stood over the beaten and battered body that Grima had so wrongfully stolen.

"Go ahead," it wheezed, "Do it. You'll just be putting me to sleep. How bad can that be?"

As loathe as she was to admit it, Grima was right. However, she knew that Robin was probably still with the Shepherds after he had been rescued once she confronted Grima, and they were starting to get worn down despite their determination. It was now or never.

In one quick motion, she severed the head of the possessed body with her father's blade. She almost immediately averted her gaze. It may not have been Robin, but their resemblance was still uncanny.

Then the dragon began to shake as it returned to its slumber. Naga warped them all to safety on a ridge overlooking the sea as the dragon plunged beneath the waves.

"It's over," Chrom breathed a collective sigh of relief with the Shepherds.

"Indeed," Robin answered before looking to Lucina, "You did it."

"I understand if you are upset, but it did not seem possible to wait."

"I'm not upset with you. You're right, to wait any longer could have put us all at risk. If anything, this is my fault for being careless."

"You cannot think that way. You should not torture yourself over a future that may never come."

"I…maybe…"

She leaned in for an embrace, "It cannot be undone, but you can enjoy the time you have now. The time that _we_ have now."

He returned the sign of affection, "I guess…it's not all bad."

"In fact," Lucina separated with a blush on her face, "If your offer still stands, I would very much like to accept."

"My offer?" it took him a few moments to realize what she meant, "Are you sure?"

"I am. I want to spend the rest of our days together."

"Well," he smiled, "I'm honored, and yes, the offer definitely still stands." They then embraced once again.

Chrom smiled as he pulled in Sumia closer to him while they watched the two, "It's good to have you with us," he called out to the lovebirds causing them to separate with a blush once they realized that they had an audience.

Robin looked out on the Shepherds-his family-before looking at Lucina and squeezing her hand with a smile, "Yeah, it _is_ good to be here."

 **A/N: So, this chapter was probably not what most of you were expecting. I realize it's probably a bit odd that there was such a heavy Chrom focus, but despite the fact that I don't give him much of a spotlight, I do like the character and I wanted to give him his time to shine after reading about how people don't like him. Also, please excuse any excess cheesiness since I was listening to some Fire Emblem music while writing parts of this (most if not all probably) and some of it may have influenced it.**

 **I got the idea of Lucina dual wielding Falchions and I wanted to use it, and given how much she had to endure in this story, it seemed like a good fit to have her do it here. If you are wondering, the fire was because of the ritual Chrom went through to awaken it, so I had something similar happen when it changed users.**

 **Of course, that meant that I had to find a way for her to actually land the final blow which meant two things: one, making so that Robin could not since I doubt if she would do it if he were in position (she may not have been able to actively kill Robin, but this is a bit different). Secondly, Chrom had to be put out of commission which was a bit easier to do.**

 **So, what do you think of this rendition of the fight? I do realize it is lacking in Robin though.**

 **Well, I still have two epilogues to go.**

 **Tiki: 15**

 **Cordelia: 6**

 **Cherche: 1**


	60. Epilogue 1

It had been nearly two years since Grima's defeat. Robin still felt pangs of guilt every now and then, but it was getting better. Measures had quickly been drawn up to separate the Fire Emblem once again as well as a new sub division being created in the Ministry of Magic dedicated fully to Grima's permanent eradication.

On a more personal note, Robin and Lucina were finally wed about six months after the final battle. They had both insisted on a small wedding which Sumia reluctantly agreed to since Lucina's heritage was not exactly public knowledge.

They were still staying in the castle, but they were considering other possibilities, though they kept that secret from her parents. Speaking of which, Robin was on his way to meet up with Chrom.

Lucina had taken to retiring early as of late-something he could certainly understand given her trouble sleeping recently and wanted to try to get some in-and Sumia had started doing likewise which left Chrom and Robin awake to reminisce some.

"So," Robin took a seat in the sitting room. Despite being in a castle, it was actually rather cozy, "How's Sumia holding up?"

"She's doing okay, at least the morning sickness phase has passed."

"Yeah, that's not pleasant for either party. Has she started her cravings yet? What was it last time? Pickled beets?"

"Yes to both. I don't know how she eats that stuff."

"At least she doesn't try to eat the whole kitchen. I don't know where she puts it, but I guess that's what happens when you eat for two."

"Oh, she eats plenty, she just does it in private so no one thinks she's a pig."

"Surely they would understand."

"That's what she tells me."

"This is all a bit overwhelming I must admit," Chrom shot his friend and understanding smile.

"It is, but it's worth it. Though I still find it a bit odd how that you two knew each other for so long before we ever met."

"Indeed, it's odd hearing about a past you know nothing about, but she's been filling me in."

"What about your mother? What have you learned of her?"

"A good deal actually. Apparently, her name was–"

"Sir Robin!" a maid came rushing in before bowing hastily upon seeing Chrom, "Please pardon the intrusion, but Lady Lucina has gone into labor."

"What?" Robin was almost instantly on his feet.

"I was sent to fetch you."

"Let's go then!" he rushed out of the room ahead of the maid leaving Chrom to smile slightly as he went to get Sumia. He figured that she would be okay with him waking her for this.

* * *

Robin rushed through the castle berating himself the whole time. He should have been with her! Granted, he could not stay with her every moment of every day, but he felt like he should have tried.

He met Lissa outside of the infirmary, "How is she?"

"Calm down, she's fine. You haven't missed anything."

"Can I see her?"

"Go ahead. I'll be back soon."

Robin entered to find Lucina still in her night gown in one of the beds, "Hey, how are you holding up?"

"Painfully," she grimaced.

"Right, sorry."

"No, it's fine. Did Lissa tell you how much longer this may take?"

"No, but I can ask her when she gets back. Just rest for now." She seemed to take his advice to heart and tried to get comfortable, a task much easier said than done.

Lissa replied that it could take a while before they were through this which Lucina was not happy to hear, but Robin promised not to leave her side until their baby was born. Sure enough, he was true to his word. Lucina was not exactly in a very hospitable mood, but he did not leave her side for almost eleven hours until-after a good deal unpleasantness-their child was finally born into the world.

"Congratulations," Lissa said as she handed the child to her mother who was suddenly in a much better mood despite how exhausted she was, "It's a girl."

"Do you know what you're going to name her?" Sumia asked as she stood with Chrom on the opposite side of the bed of Robin.

Lucina looked at Robin as a signal that he could do the honors, "Yes, we've decided that we're going to name her after my mother: Morgan."

 **A/N: Oddly enough, no one mentioned how I never mentioned Robin's mother by name. I had read about Morgan being named after Robin's mother some, and it seemed fitting given this story.**

 **Well, one more chapter to go which I plan to post some time Sunday. Thank you all for making this my most popular story to date and putting up with my rambling.**

 **Tiki: 15**

 **Cordelia: 6**

 **Cherche: 1**


	61. Epilogue 2

Robin stopped after a small walk from his house. He had made the restoration of Arton a personal mission, one which was going well. People were starting to move there and it was becoming a nicer place to live. He had even restored his old house where he and his family spent their time visiting the village.

He looked at the marker that they had placed shortly after finishing the cleanup. The villagers had been given a small memorial, but Robin wanted something more personal for his mother. He leaned down and straightened up the flowers that he had put there a few days prior.

After a while, he finally turned around to find Lucina standing behind him with a bundle in her arms, "Lucina, how long have you been there?"

"A while. When I awoke and you were not there, I thought I might find you here. After seeing you though, I did not want to disturb you."

"I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, but Mark did," she referenced the bundle she was carrying in her arms. While he slept much more consistently than his sister had at that age, he still woke in the middle of the night from time to time.

"I hope I did not wake him," he looked to the now fast asleep child. It had been several months since the birth of their second child.

Lucina looked at the tombstone and then back at her husband, "These past few days have been especially hard on you, haven't they?"

Robin sighed as he too looked at the marker, "Yeah, ever since her birthday, I just keep thinking about how I can't remember her. It almost feels like I've failed her."

"I am sure that she would understand."

"Maybe," he stared at the engraved name with his wife.

"She was like mother to me as well," she started. It was nothing he had not heard before, but he wanted to hear something about her, "It took some time, but she became like a second mother."

"No wonder you were so hesitant to get close to Chrom and Sumia."

"Yes, I had already lost my parents and then a motherly figure, it was hard, but now that I stand here as a mother myself, I think I understand them better than I ever could before and I am glad to have Sumia's advice. I just hope that I can be half the mother to our children that my mother and yours were to me."

Robin slinked his arm around her waist, careful not to disturb Mark, "You will be. You're a great mother." He was not just trying to make her feel better; she had really tried her best to do her new role justice, and he thought she was doing great all things considered. It just reminded him how lucky he was to have her.

"T-thank you. I do not believe that I can measure up to those who came before me though…at least not yet."

"Maybe not, but that's what experience is for. Maybe we'll even have a good idea of what we're doing by the third one."

"Third?" Lucina raised her brow.

"Well, you know, if you're not opposed."

She looked at the bundle in her arms, "Maybe, but perhaps we should hold off until Mark is a bit older."

Robin laughed, "Agreed."

 **A/N: A short little piece focusing on Robin's mother and Lucina's new position as a mother. And if you're wondering, Morgan is just asleep inside the house.**

 **With this chapter, the story is officially finished. What were your thoughts? Highs? Lows?**

 **Also, here are the ballot's final results:**

 **Tiki: 15**

 **Cordelia: 6**

 **Cherche: 1**

 **And here is the standings for that other ballot (not final):**

 **Ephraim: 3**

 **Eliwood: 2**

 **Marth: 1**

 **Chrom: 0**

 **Look forward to my next story sometime within the next week. Not sure when the next multi-chapter story will come, but knowing me, it will probably be pretty soon.**


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